


DreamWeaver

by TwiAddictAnne



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M, WitFit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-14 09:32:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 31,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3405728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwiAddictAnne/pseuds/TwiAddictAnne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some dreams we forget … some dreams we remember … and some dreams we weave together in one. We call those dreams life. A story of fragments of dreams, life and of course, falling in love. A WitFit written by flashfics. All Human. Canon couples. Rated for language and adult situations.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Twilight Saga isn’t mine, no matter how much I wish otherwise.
> 
> A/N: This is a new journey I’m starting. It’s called WitFits. I’m gonna write a chapter everyday with the prompts I find waiting for me, and you will get an update everyday as well. :)
> 
> Thanks to the amazing Rochelle Allison for guiding me toward this adventure. Love you, Ro. xo
> 
> And thank you to all my readers for taking a chance on me. I hope you enjoy the ride. ;)

** Chapter-1: Invitation **

****

****

****

**Word Prompt:** Invitation

 **Dialogue Flex:** "It's clear we're not on the same page."

 

 

 

I let out a frustrated sigh and look at the woman sitting across from me. She smiles in what she must think of a very sexy manner, but to me, it looks more like the wicked grin of one of the witches in the old cartoons.

 

“Honey, come with me. It’ll be fun,” she insists once again.

 

I start to shake my head even before she’s finished talking. “No, Tanya. Thank you for the invitation, but I’m not going to this party.”

 

“Why?” she asks with a pout. “Are you that busy in here?”

 

I shrug. “No, I’m not.” She opens her mouth to speak, but I continue, shutting her up. “I’m not going because I don’t want to.”

 

A crestfallen look crosses her face, making me fell slightly bad for being so blunt. Rubbing my hand over my face, I tell her, “Look, we broke up months ago. I’ve moved on with my life, and I think it’s time for you to do the same.”

 

Her eyes narrow as my words register in her mind. “Is there someone else?”

 

I feel my anger rising and I snap at her. “I don’t feel obligated to answer your question. Just know that our lives are separate from now, okay?”

 

“You don’t know that ...” she mumbles, and I finally lose it.

 

Standing up from my seat, I say as calmly as I can, “I think you should leave, Tanya. This discussion isn’t going anywhere. It's clear we're not on the same page here. So until you get there, I think you shouldn’t come here.”

 

She looks scandalized by my abruptness. “You said we’d be friends when you broke up with me,” she hisses to me.

 

I nod. “Yes, but you inviting me to your sister’s wedding as your date is _not_ friend-like behavior. So … goodbye, Tanya.”

 

After throwing one last disdainful glare at me, she walks out of my office, allowing me the reprieve to finally let out a sigh of relief.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

After the Tanya-debacle is over and done with, I decide it’s time for me to take my lunch break and enjoy being a free man again.

 

I choose the café across from my office simply because Tanya hated that place. Being a little spiteful is only human, right?

 

As I’m about to enter the café, I see a woman stand in the doorway, partially blocking the entrance. I prepare to tell her to move away and look into her face, and immediately, I feel like I’ve swallowed my tongue.

_She’s beautiful._

 

There she stands, in the entrance of a crowded café, but her face is lifted upwards, as if inviting the sun to kiss her skin. In the bright rays of the spring sun, she’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid my eyes on. The smile that stretches on her lips as she inhales deeply makes me smile as well.

 

Following her gaze, I look up at the sky, and suddenly realize that the sky looks beautiful as well. _Has it always been so beautiful? Why haven’t I stopped to look at the sky before?_ I ask myself.

 

I tear my eyes away from the breathtaking sight only to find her gone.

 

I search around, hoping desperately to see the long brown ponytail that glows red in the sunlight once again, but all I’m met with is disappointed.

_My mystery girl seems to have vanished in thin air … for now._


	2. Chapter-2: Shelter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you’ve shown me in this little dream I’ve planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)

** Chapter-2: Shelter **

**Word Prompt:** Shelter

 

****

****

** BPOV **

 

 

 

“You’re late … again,” my Dad grumbles at me as I walk through the front door.

 

I give him a half-shrug and say, “Fashionably late, Dad. So that doesn’t count as late.”

 

His mustache moves a little as he laughs at my excuse. “You seem happy. You were looking at the sky, weren’t you?”

 

“Nope,” I say with a grin. “I was looking at the sun today, actually.”

 

“Right, big difference,” he responds with a chuckle. “So you ready, kid?”

 

“Are you?” I shoot back at him before running out of the house and making a dash for the shelter behind the house. His bark of laughter follows me as he slowly makes his way behind me.

 

By the time he reaches the shelter, I’m armed with my favorite Winchester rifle and ready to go.

 

He takes a look at my choice of weapon and nods appreciatively. “Sticking to your old gun, Bells?”

 

I smile at him. “With my old man as my coach, why shouldn’t I?”

 

He pats my back as we both walk out to the field where he keeps the targets ready for us to practice on.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

About two hours of shooting practice later, I’m sitting on my parents’ front porch when my mom walks out of the house with three glasses of lemonade on a tray.

 

My dad groans as he shifts to accept one of the drinks, grunting out a thanks to mom.

 

Mom reminds him about the Seahawks game he wanted to watch, and instantly, his exhaustion is forgotten as he walks inside the house, cursing himself under his breath for forgetting about it.

 

She waits until he’s out of hearing range before sitting down next to me and offering me a glass.

 

“Thanks, Mom,” I say gratefully as I hold the chilled glass of drink in between my hands.

 

She smiles at me and takes a sip of her drink. And then, she clears her throat.

_Oh hell, no! I know what_ that _throat-clearing means._

 

Right on cue, she asks the question she just loves to ask me, “So, sweetheart, have you seen anyone lately?”

 

“Yeah …” I start, making her smile wider, and then I continue. “I’ve seen a lot of people today: the lady who works at the café I go to, the security guy who works in my place, dad and now you.”

 

My smug answer makes her sigh with frustration. “I meant _boys_ , Bella.”

 

I pretend to think for a moment before saying, “Dad and the security guy are both boys.”

 

She shakes her head at me. “Why do you do this? You know what I’m asking about.”

 

“And you know that I’m not gonna go begging for a boyfriend, Mom,” I tell her.

 

A frown appears on her face. “I just want to see you happily married, baby girl, and you can’t have that unless you get back in the dating pool.”

 

I offer her a small smile, letting her know that despite understanding her intentions, I’m not going to be pushed into anything. “I know, Mom. If it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen. You can’t put a timeline on something like this. I’m not saying that I won’t date ever, I’m just saying that I haven’t found someone yet. Do you understand where I’m coming from?”

 

She seems to think for a moment before nodding. “I think so. I’m not saying that I like it, I’m saying that I understand it.”

 

“That’s all I ask.”

 

She smiles at my reply, and after stealing a glance at the door, whispers to me, “Just promise not to scare any boy away with you gun-slinging, okay?”

 

I laugh at her assumption and wink, not making a promise I might not be able to keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> Since Sundays are “reflection days,” I don’t get a prompt on Sundays. So no updates tomorrow.
> 
> See you on Tuesday.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	3. Chapter-3: Stencil

** Chapter-3: Stencil **

**Word Prompt:** Stencil

 **Plot Generator—Binding Blurb:**  In 500 words or fewer, write a blurb or a short entry about  **making a mountain out of a molehill.**

 

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****

** EPOV **

 

 

 

“Get the fuck out of my office!” The sound of yelling pulls me away from the stencils I am working on, and I cautiously make my way to the detonation zone.

 

Before I can knock on the door, I hear another angry bark come from inside, “Out, Stanley. Come find me when you finally manage to locate your brains.”

 

The door opens, and Jessica Stanley, my sister’s assistant steps out of the room. She glances at me and mutters a barely-audible ‘hello’ and then walks away.

 

I knock on the door and enter. “Rose, what’s wrong?” I ask carefully.

 

My elder sister lets out a sigh and slowly raises her head to look at me. The look on her face tells me that if I value my life, I should keep quiet.

 

“I need a new assistant,” she says to me.

 

I frown at the suddenness of her declaration. “Did Ms. Stanley do something wrong?”

 

Jessica might be a little _too friendly_ at times, but I know she can do her job. She used to be my assistant before I got promoted a few months ago.

 

Rose’s voice oozes frustration as she responds, “She forgot to send an important email about the Volturi Project.”

 

“But work on that project isn’t due to start for another couple of months at the least. So why …?”

 

She throws her hands up in defeat. “Fine! Blame it all on me for being a little proactive. I’m the office bitch anyway.”

 

I shake my head at her. “No, Rose, you’re not a bitch, I didn’t mean it like that,” I say, feeling confused about her attitude.

 

A moment of silence follows in which I debate on flat out asking her why she was making this such a big issue, but then decide to take a different route. “Is this about the divorce?” When she turns her scorching glare at me, I try to clarify. “Did Royce try to contact you?”

 

She shakes her head quickly, pauses, and then slowly, gives me a stiff nod. Her eyes fill with tears ready to spill over. “He … he called me this morning. He said he’ll drag me to court over this,” she says in a heart-breaking whisper. “Ed, I didn’t mean to do it. I swear.”

 

I walk around her desk in a few strides and pull my sister in a hug. “Shh … Rose, calm down. I know you didn’t mean to,” I tell her over and over while wishing like hell that my sister didn’t have to go through this shit-storm.

 

When her sniffling dies down, I step back to look at her face carefully. “You can take the day off if you want, Rose.”

 

She sighs. “No, I need to be able to endure it. I won’t let him make me feel like a monster for something I didn’t do on purpose.”

 

“Good,” I say.

 

As I walk out of her room, I feel a new-found respect for my sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	4. Chapter-4: Stub, Club, Flub

** Chapter-4:  ** ** Stub, Club, Flub **

**Word Prompts:** Stub, club, flub

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

 

 

 

“Come on, come on, come ON! Say you’ll go,” Alice, the humanized version of the energizer bunny and unfortunately, my best friend, nags as she pulls me by the hand.

 

Just as I expected, I stub my toe at the table as I try to scramble up to my feet. “Ouch! Alice, slow down!”

 

She glances at my now throbbing foot and clucks her tongue shamelessly. “You’re always getting hurt,” she says as if this time I did it on purpose.

 

I poke my tongue out at her and say, “You are the one who made the flub.”

 

She raises her eyebrows at my unusual choice of words. “Flub? What the hell did I do to your clumsy ass?”

 

I stick my nose up in the air and reply with an air of superiority, “You thought I was the _Energizer Battery_ to your _Energizer Bunny_.”

 

She’s stunned silent for a moment and then, she’s laughing in guffaws. “En-energizer bu-bunny?” she asks with a sputter. “You know that sounded dirty in my head, right? You’re funny, Swan.”

 

I shrug and grin at her. “I know.”

 

Throwing her arm across my shoulders, she grins back at me. “And I love you for it.” As an after-thought, she adds, “And I might be responsible for the toe-stubbing back there. So I’m sorry.”

 

I hug her and give her short hair a small tug. “You’re forgiven, bun.”

 

She giggles at my name-calling and just as I turn my head to look at her, my eyes find purchase on something behind her … or to be more specific, some _one_ behind her.

 

Behind Alice stands a good-looking guy, like _really_ good-looking guy. A guy with pretty green eyes and silky-looking bronze colored hair that is arranged in perfect disarray. What strikes me the most about his appearance though is the smile on his lips as he stares right at me.

_Who is he?_

_Do I know him from somewhere?_

_His smile is pretty …_

 

Random thoughts race through my mind as my eyes lock with his. I see his eyes widen before quickly darting away from mine, looking at anywhere but me.

 

His behavior sparks my interest and I move my glance back on Alice.

 

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow night?” she asks out of the blue, and I realize that I must have blocked her out while eyeing up the pretty guy.

 

“Huh? What’s tomorrow night?” I ask.

 

She rolls her eyes and says in an exasperated voice, “Bel—la! We’re going to the new club tomorrow night. Emmett got us tickets, remember?”

 

“Oh, club, right,” I start, and she narrows her eyes at me. “Don’t you even think of making up an excuse for not going out tomorrow.”

 

I let out a short laugh and give her a shrug. “You know I can’t dance, but hey, I guess even I can do something better than Emmett’s chicken dance.”

 

She smiles widely and kisses my cheek before giving me a wave and walking out of the café.

 

Stealthily, I turn to look at the pretty guy, only to find the spot where he stood is now empty.

_When did he slip out of the store?_ I wonder and then shake the thought off. _Well, at least I found my something pretty to look at for today._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, Mystery Girl has spotted Pretty Boy! Thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> I know I’m being too slow with the review replying, but I will get back to you with replies soon, I promise. Until then, please know that I read each and every one of your reviews. They mean the world to me. They make me think that I can dream a little bigger. ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Keep an eye out for teasers for my other WIP, Redemption of A Lost Soul, tomorrow on FB and Twitter. :)
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	5. Chapter-5: Barren

** Chapter-5: Barren **

**Word Prompt:** Barren

 **Dialogue Flex:** “We should leave early.”

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

After talking to my sister, I return to my cabin, feeling like a shitty brother for not being able to take her pain away. _I should have had the presence of mind to make her quit or take time off when there was still time_ , I chastise myself, think back again and again to what I could have done to help avoid the situation.

 

However, in the back of my mind, I know. I know that it was something none of us expected to happen. _Rose was right_ , my subconscious tries to soothe me by saying that things like this are out of our hands.

 

In my preoccupation, I don’t register Ben Cheney, my oldest friend and now assistant, walk into my room. “Edward, you okay man?”

 

I start at the sound of his voice and try to smile at him, hoping he wouldn’t notice the worry on my face. Unfortunately, he knows me a lot better than I expect him to.

 

He takes off his glasses and closes the door behind him before speaking. “Are you worried about Rosalie?” he asks without any preamble.

 

I don’t even try to deny, instead, I nod. “She’s just so sad all the damn time, man,” I tell him, running a hand through my hair in hopeless frustration. “She looks so lost at times ... so _barren_ , like someone has stolen away her reason for living.”

 

Having grown up with Rose and me, Ben knows a lot about my sister’s wild-child teen years. With a sad smile on his face, he asks, “She used to be so full of life before all these went down. Remember how she loved to dance when we’d go to clubs?”

 

“Yeah,” I join in his reminiscing. “I know I said that those clubs were like torture-houses, but I’d gladly go to any club if it means that she’ll be herself again.”

 

“Even a gay-bar?” he asks with a twinkle in his eyes, probably trying to make me lighten up.

 

I shrug. “Sure, as long as my dick’s still mine and not in some guy’s hands, I’m game. I remember her wanting to go to the one uptown when it first opened.”

 

His smile broadens. “Do you think you can get her to come out? I can manage us passes to get in.”

 

“How?” I ask with a frown. “Isn’t that one super exclusive?”

 

“It is,” he assures me. “But you, my friend, are Edward freaking Cullen, CEO of Cullen Dreams Ltd., the best fucking architectural farm in all of Seattle. Dropping your name will do the trick. Hell, dropping _my_ name should do it!”

 

I laugh at the overly dramatic way he says my name. “Fine. You do the name-dropping and I’ll go do the Rose-management.”

 

“Cool,” he says with a grin. “We should leave early tonight then. They only admit a certain number of people each night.”

 

“Deal.”

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

I curse myself for being late to pick up my lunch as I make my way to the café across the street. I worry that I might have missed my chance to see if Mystery Girl would come today as well.

 

But the moment I step into the store, I feel a smile stretching my lips. There she stands—with a shorter, black-haired woman— talking animatedly with her companion.

 

Forgetting about buying my lunch, I find myself standing there and simply looking at her. The sunlight that streams in through the window makes her hair seem more red than brown. The sound of her laughter makes me smile without any reason.

 

Suddenly, she tilts her head to the side, and our eyes meet. For a moment, I feel my eyes lock on her as she stares at me. Then I realize what I must look like—apervert, ogling beautiful women in coffee shops.

 

I pull my gaze away from hers and pretend to look at anywhere but her. I hear her laugh at something her friend says and smile before walking out of the cafe, feeling better about my day already.

 

It’s only when I’m at the elevator and pressing the button for my floor, I realize that I didn’t even get my lunch.

_Mystery Girl, what are you doing to me?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Redemption of A Lost Soul teaser is coming up on FB and Twitter tonight. ;)
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	6. Chapter-6: Glasses

** Chapter-6: Glasses ** ****

****

** Word Prompt:  ** Glasses

** Scenario:  ** Never again will I let my friend talk me into…

Complete the scenario in any way, in any style, and for any word count. Open your mind and follow where it leads, writing as you go.

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

“Looking cool, baby sis,” Emmett McCarty, my cousin and other best friend hollers at me as he walks into my apartment.

I smile at him and ask hopefully, “You think so?”

He frowns and scratches his chin thoughtfully before responding. “Yeah, you just need a gravy stain or something equally disgusting on your shirt to complete the ensemble.”

“What?” I’m confused.

With a stupid smile on his face, he nods. “That’s assuming that you’re going for the hobo look, of course.”

“You are a fucking asshole, Em,” I aim a kick at him, and naturally, miss him by several inches.

He holds his hands up in surrender and snickers. “It’s not my fault that you decided to opt for the hobo look.”

I narrow my eyes at him and through gritted teeth, ask him to repeat himself.

This time, he seems to have gotten a better grip on his stupid sense of humor as he says, “We’re going to a club, baby sis. So you need to put on some sexy shit aside from that T-shirt.”

I look down at my Bon Jovi shirt and scowl at him. “You said we should dress down ...”

He starts shaking his head at my words. “No, I said that _I_ should dress down. I didn’t say anything about _you_.”

“What’s the difference?”

“What can I say, sis? I’m just too sexy for my own good,” he says sardonically before forcing me to turn back toward my bedroom. “You go put on something nice or I won’t be used as your human shield in the face of the Tsunami that is our sweet Alice.”

Rolling my eyes at him, I do as he asks. _I already agreed to go out tonight for Alice; might as well wear something pretty to appease Emmett._

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

An hour later, I find myself cursing the moment I agreed to come out tonight.

Emmett maneuvers his body away from an upcoming butt-smack, making the owner of the hand barely graze his butt as he carries our drinks to our table.

Placing the glasses in front of us, he takes in my glaring face and pinches my cheeks. “Why the long face?”

“Long face? I was going for the death glare,” I hiss out at him. “Emmett, you brought us into a gay bar for crying out loud.”

He shrugs. “So? It’s fun. Besides, Alice was just as much interested in coming here as I …,” he stops talking and screws up his face. “As me? Fuck! Grammar is hard.”

I don’t even try to correct his grammar as usual. Instead, I turn my face to the girl sitting beside me, who’s currently leering at another woman across the bar just for the fun of it. “Alice?”

She looks at me and mouths, “The bet.”

Immediately, I’m reminded of the reason behind the interest in this bar in the first place, and I turn back to Emmett. “Oh really?” I ask, turning the glare back on. “Rumor has it that _someone_ wanted to find out how many gay men they could attract if we came here.”

“Well someone was curious,” he says with a grin.

I poke my tongue out at him. “Well, that someone sucks.”

Before he can respond to me, a guy walks up to us and asks Emmett for a dance—which the fucker gladly accepts. Sending a gleeful look at the two of us, he lets the man lead him to the dance floor.

I shake my head at his antics and vow to myself to  never again let my friend talk me into going to a gay bar.

And that’s when I see it. _That_ shade of bronze.

__

_ Hmm … maybe the gay bar wasn’t such a bad idea after all. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Redemption of A Lost Soul update is now live. Check it out and let me hear your thoughts. ;)
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	7. Chapter-7: Laundromat

** Chapter-7: Laundromat **

** **

****

****

** Word Prompt:  ** Laundromat

** Plot Generator—Phrase Catch:  ** I have a bone to pick with you.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

Surprisingly enough, when I tell Rosalie that Ben has gotten us passes to the most exclusive gay bar in Seattle, she doesn’t flat-out say no. She hesitates for a moment, chewing on her lips seemingly engrossed in deep thought.

Sensing her hesitation, I say to her that this can be the first step of her “moving on” from what happened, and then, I clarify that by _“this”_ I mean going out and having fun, not specifically going to a gay bar.

My trick works, and she gives me a grateful smile before ruffling my hair just the way mom does at times, thanking me with her eyes.

Instead of scowling at her like I usually do on such instances, I smile back. One smile on my sister’s face means a lot to me.

Now, as I walk beside Ben, moving along the line to get inside the bar, he says to me, “I gotta hand it to you, Ed, you did good in getting her out of that office. But dude, you could’ve done fan-fucking-tastic if you had just managed to make her wear something other than that boring business suit.”

I give him a look that says _are-you-nuts_ as I reply in a low voice, “We came here from work, Ben. She wore that suit to work. There was nothing I could do.”

“Still …” he continues. “How are we gonna find someone to hook her up with if she’s dressed like that?”

I shake my head at his idiocy. “First of all, if you’re thinking of hooking her up with someone, you should’ve taken her somewhere _other_ than a place where most of the male population plays for the same team.” He opens his mouth to say something, but I shut him up with a glare. “And, second, don’t you dare say anything about my sister hooking up with someone. That’s something no brother wants to hear.”

He rolls his eyes at me, as if I’m being melodramatic, and says, “She’s like a sister to me too, you idiot. But the way she’s been acting around the office, I figured she might be a little horny.”

“Gross!” I pull a face at him and say sternly, “You better shut up about her being horny. If she hears this, she might very well take you to the nearby Laundromat to give you a whitewash.”

We both chance a glance at her and see that she’s looking down at her feet. _She’s still not our Rose,_ I think and then motion for Ben to follow me.

Together, we step up on either side of her and each take one of her arms like perfect gentlemen. She smiles at the two of us, and we enter the bar with my softly laughing sister.

__

_ If this makes her happy then maybe coming here wasn’t a bad idea. _

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

My feelings about the gay bar not being a bad idea changes drastically within twenty minutes.

In those twenty minutes, I’ve been sent drinks by multiple patrons of the bar, complimented on the cute couple Ben and I make, asked for a dance by two men at the same time, and I’m fairly certain that the man who pretended to brush off dust from the seat of my pants gave my ass far too many squeezes than necessary if at all.

After twenty minutes of enjoying my nightmare, Rose excuses herself and walks away from the loud music to take a call.

Slumping back on my seat, I take a long drink of the beer the winking bartender left in front of me when Ben snickers at me. “Dude, you sure that’s clean?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I growl at him, already cursing him for coming up with the idea to come to this hellhole.

“I dunno,” he replies thoughtfully. “The way people are eyeing you up, I won’t be surprised if someone lines your drink with GHB, you know, the date-rape drug?”

My eyes widen and I start coughing, making him grin gleefully. “You’re an asshole, Cheney!” I spit at him.

I poke my tongue out at Ben in a purely childish fashion. To which he responds with his disgusting kissy face.

That’s when someone taps me on the shoulder.

Turning around, I see a short, black-haired woman standing behind me. Her face seems familiar to me, but for the life of me, I can’t place it. “Yes?”

She sneaks a look at Ben before looking me up and down, and then she speaks. “Excuse me, Mister, but I have a bone to pick with you.”

“Do I know you?” I ask her, trying to keep my voice as polite as possible while wondering who the hell she might be.

“Technically, no,” she says, her voice sounding a little drunk to me.

“What’s the problem?” I ask with a frown.

She sways on her feet a little as she holds a threatening finger up at me. “You. You are the problem. You are the only guy my best friend has called _‘pretty’_ in a long time, and you turn out to be dating this matchstick,” she says in a breath, gesturing wildly at Ben as she calls him a _matchstick_.

“Who’s your … friend?”

“Alice! Shit! When did you get here?” A voice exclaims from behind the Drunken Chick, and I lift my eyes to see none other than my Mystery Girl standing there.

My mouth drops open the moment it registers to my brain that if Drunken Chick thinks I’m gay then Mystery Girl must think so too!

__

_ Fuck my life! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Poor Pretty Boy! :P
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	8. Chapter-8: Sprawl

** Chapter-8: Sprawl **

**Word Prompt:** Sprawl

 A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

 

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

When I see Pretty Boy walk into the bar, I find myself smiling, and then, I remember where we are. A gay bar! Holy fuck! He’s _gay_? The sight of the skinny bespectacled guy next to him only solidifies my speculation.

 

“Oh crap!” I mutter a curse under my breath, making Alice look up at me.

 

“What’s up, buttercup?” she asks me with a half-smile on her face.

 

I glance at the empty martini glasses sprawled on the bar in front of her and get ready to face drunken Alice, who happens to be quite the vicious Alice.

 

“It’s nothing, Al,” I tell her, trying to cover it all up.

 

However, she points a finger at me and says sternly, “You don’t lie to your best friend, buttercup. Now tell me. What’s gotten your panties in a twist?”

 

Knowing that she won’t let it go, I answer in a low voice, “There’s this guy I saw at the café today. I thought he was pretty.”

 

She bumps my shoulder with hers and grins. “Oh! You have a crush, B?”

 

I shrug, not sure if that classifies as a crush yet, and say, “It doesn’t matter anyway. He’s here with another guy.”

 

Alice’s eyes narrows as she looks around the crowded dance floor. “Show me where,” she almost growls out the words.

 

Grabbing her chin in my hand, I move her face in a 45º angle and point to where Pretty Boy sits with his boyfriend on the other side of the bar.

 

“Who, the matchstick?”

 

Her question makes me laugh a little, assuming the name _Matchstick_ refers to the guy in skinny jeans, I shake my head. “Nope, bronze-head.”

 

She lets out a ‘humph’ before getting back to her drink and leaving me to go back to watching Emmett do his famous chicken dance with the dude who asked him to dance.

 

It’s only when the bartender asks me where my friend went after ordering another round, I realize that Alice isn’t with me.

 

I don’t even have to search too far to locate her. As I look around, I see her small figure towering over Pretty Boy, shaking a finger in front of his face.

_Fuck! What’s she doing there?_

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

“Alice! Shit! When did you get here?” I yell over the loud music as I grab my friend’s arm.

 

Pretty Boy leans to the side and glances at me. Our eyes meet. His eyes widen and his mouth goes slack.

 

_Fuck! He recognized me. This is awkward!_

 

I look at about a foot over Pretty Boy’s head when I apologize to him on Alice’s behavior. “I’m sorry for my friend’s behavior. The drink must have gone straight to her head.”

 

“ _Friend?_ ” Pretty Boy asks with a slight arching of his eyebrow.

 

Alice catches his tone and steps around me to glare at him. “Yes, _friend_. We’re just friends,” she says with jerking her thumb in my direction. “My girl here likes _dick_ , not unlike you, Mister PB.”

 

“Did you just call me Peanut Butter?” he asks, sounding confused.

 

She pffts at that. “No, PB stands for ‘Pretty Boy.’” Turning to me, she adds, “I must tell ya, B, he doesn’t look _that_ pretty from up close. You think the Matchstick is casting a shadow on the prettiness?”

 

The Matchstick, as Alice has so aptly dubbed him, downs the shot he holds in his hand before scrambling up to his feet. “Watch who you’re calling a Matchstick, you lighter!” he snaps at her with a glower.

 

“I’m so sorry for ruining your date,” I squeak out to Pretty Boy before tugging on Alice’s hand.

 

Thankfully, she lets me lead her away from this possible train wreck.

 

Just as we’re walking away from them, I hear Matchstick yell at us from behind. “And in case your dick-loving girl was wondering, my boy here is all about pussies.”

_Alright, God, you can now open up the ground to let it swallow me up._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> No prompts mean no update tomorrow. See you on Tuesday.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	9. Chapter-9: Crumple

** Chapter-9: Crumple **

****

****

****

**Word Prompt:** Crumple

 **Dialogue Flex:** “What else do you want from me?”

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

 

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

That night at the gay bar, I saw my Mystery Girl walk away with her friend, and with her, all my hopes of pursuing her crumpled away.

 

I spend the weekend by cursing the fuck out of Ben, who surprisingly thinks he did me a great service by announcing to the whole crowd that I loved pussies. Yes, his crude declaration did stop the guys from trying to feel me up for the rest of the night, but there was something about having my sexual preferences announced to the crowd that still makes my ears heat up.

 

On Monday morning as I see Ben walk inside my cabin, looking like everything was fucking dandy, I scowl at him.

 

“Whoa! What’s up with your forehead? It’s twitching a little,” he says and even tries to poke the vein that twitches there whenever I’m furious.

 

“Shut it, you ass.” I flip him off. “It’s all your fault.”

 

“Dude! You aren’t still on about that, are you?” he asks with wide eyes. “You really like that chick, don’t you?”

 

“Really? What clued you in?”

 

He scratches his head and starts talking, “The way you’re glaring at me …” he sees the intensity of the said glare increase and finally has his light-bulb moment. “Oh! You were being sarcastic. Sorry.”

 

Shaking my head at him, I sit down on my chair.

 

“So what’s the plan now?” he asks after a long moment of silence. “You see her during lunch time, don’t you? What are you gonna do today?”

 

I rub my hands over my face and finally mumble the only logical way to tackle this. “I’ll have a late lunch today so that we don’t cross paths.”

 

“Aw man! I’m sorry for my lack of verbal filter, bro.”

 

I wave him away, knowing that as ridiculous as the situation was, he was trying to be my wingman … sort of.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

By the time I get to the café, it’s almost two in the afternoon. I take in the mostly empty café and let out a sigh of relief.

_She must have come and gone already._

 

I look at the food items on the display case and make up my mind to get a ham burger before taking my place behind the only guy in the line for the cash counter.

 

With my back to the door, I hear the door open followed by the tinkling of the small bell placed on top of it. I barely pay attention to anyone around me as I scan through my messages on my phone, waiting for the guy in front of me to finish up.

 

“Next!” the woman behind the counter calls, and I step up.

 

I open my mouth to place my order, and that’s when I hear it.

 

“Oh for fuck’s sake! What else do you want from me, Alice?” a familiar voice asks from right behind me.

 

I carefully tilt my head to the side to see none other than my Mystery Girl standing behind me with her back turned toward me.

_Oh fuck! She hasn’t seen me yet, has she?_ I wonder as I turn my head back to the woman waiting for me to order.

 

“Alice,” I hear her grit out the name in exasperation. “I cannot describe what he looked like. I’m not damn Wordsworth. You should’ve looked with your eyes open that night if you wanted to see his _pretty_ face.”

 

Pretty? I remember her friend telling me that she has been calling me pretty. _I don’t know how I feel about being called pretty actually. On one hand, the word_ pretty _sounds so … feminine, but on the other hand, her calling me pretty must mean that she likes me, right?_

 

My train of thoughts is cut short when I hear her speak into the phone clutched to her ear once more. “You remember there being two guys, right?” she stops to listen before continuing. “Well, the one who screamed about pussies is the guy you named Matchstick, and the one who _supposedly_ likes pussies is Pretty Boy. Clear enough?”

 

“Not _supposedly_ , I really do like pussies.” She whirls around to face me and lets out a gasp.

_What …?_ And then, it hits me. I said the words out loud instead of just thinking them in my head.

_Can this get any worse?_

 

I get the answer to that question in a just a second when she says to her friend, “Hey, Al? I just ran into the Pussy-lover Pretty Boy.”

_God! Kill. Me. Now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *Cackles* So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	10. Chapter-10: Flagpole

** Chapter-10: Flagpole **

**Word Prompt:** Flagpole

 **Plot Generator—Idea Completion:** Race to the finish line.

An idea or concept is presented. Follow where it leads you.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The moment the words escape my mouth, I wish I had a stapler at hand so that I could staple my lips shut forever.

 

He just stares at me with his mouth hanging open just a little bit. I see the tops of his ears turn red and feel the blood rush to my cheeks just thinking what I just said.

 

“Bella? What the fuck?” I hear Alice yell from the other side of the phone. “What happened?”

 

“I’ll talk to you later,” I mumble before hanging up.

 

An awkward silence hangs between us while I chew on my lips and think of ways to apologize for calling him pussy-lover to his face, and he just continues to stare at me.

 

“Oye!” a loud voice calls out from somewhere behind him, and thankfully, the awkward moment dissolves, until it returns ten-fold stronger when the woman manning the café continues to speak. “Look, can you order first before you get into this pussy-or-hussy debate? I haven’t got all day to stand here and watch you two eye-fuck.”

 

Her crude words make us both jolt back into movement, and for a moment, we both try to step up to the counter. It looks like a sad race to the finish line … which happens to be two steps away.

 

Our awkward scramble makes her laugh as she shakes her head at us. “You two poor kids look like you need some time to talk,” she says, giving us a pitiful look. “Why don’t you get your food and take a seat there? You sure seem like you want to talk.”

 

I murmur thanks to her, and Pretty Boy slowly steps away, nodding his head to me. _He let me go first. So he’s a gentleman and he likes pussies,_ I mentally note.   _Not a bad deal, at all._

 

Once I’m armed with my favorite doughnut and chicken sandwich, I linger next to the counter and walk in snail’s pace to see what he’ll do.

 

“Umm … would you … uh …” I hear his voice from behind me and turn back to look at him.

 

He has a ham burger in one hand while the other hand rubs his face roughly as if he’s trying to scrub off his skin with his fingers.

 

“Something wrong with your face?” I cannot help but ask him, feeling a smile tug on my lips.

 

His hand stops in mid-scrub, and he moves it to meet my eyes. He looks completely serious when he says, “No, my face is alright. I’ve heard that _some_ people even refer to me as _pretty_.”

 

I let out a bark of laughter at that, but compose myself quickly.

 

A smile creeps on his face as he motions to a corner table. “Would you like to sit with me for a little bit?” His voice is the perfect mixture of shyness and sweetness, and I don’t care how this sounds like lunchtime on first day at high school, I find my legs moving toward the direction he pointed to.

 

When he sits down across from me, I surreptitiously notice the lack of rings on his fingers.

 

_So he seems available._

 

We both concentrate on our food and for the next few seconds, silence surrounds us before he speaks. “Why pretty?”

 

“What?” I stop on my way to take a bite of my sandwich.

 

He chews the food in his mouth, and then explains his question. “There are a lot of adjectives out there to describe a man. So why did you pick ‘Pretty?’”

 

I shrug and say the first thing that comes to my mind. “Maybe because you’re pretty?”

 

He chuckles, and I feel like he’s laughing at my choice of words. Narrowing my eyes, I ask, “Would you prefer Pussy-Loving Pretty Boy instead?”

 

His eyes widen and he shakes his head quickly. “No, no, pretty boy is good. Better than anything else I’ve been complimented with.”

 

Snickering at him, I take a bite of my food. The clock hanging behind the counter catches my eyes and I frown. It’s later than when he comes here. I know that because I purposefully came late, hoping to avoid any awkward run-ins.

_Well, that worked out so well_ , I think sarcastically and let out a laugh.

 

His eyes snap back to mine and he raises an eyebrow at me, silently asking me what was so funny.

 

“It’s two in the afternoon. It’s later than lunch hour,” I say in the way of explanation.

 

He grins. “I was looking for a flagpole when I heard your voice.”

 

My eyes widen thinking why on earth would a straight guy look for a _pole._

 

He must catch the look on my face because he starts shaking his head vehemently. “No, no! Fuck! Not _that_ kind of pole. I meant an actual flagpole to hang a white flag from … you know, to call a truce?”

 

I carefully let out a sigh of relief.

 

You can’t be careful enough with guys who hangout in gay bars of all places these days!

 

“I like the sound of truce,” I say before going back to my food.

 

We finish our meal in silence and when I’m standing up from my seat, he follows my lead. “I’m Edward, by the way,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck with an apprehensive look on his face.

 

“Bella,” I answer his unspoken question quietly.

 

He smiles and asks, “Can I …” he stops, and then starts again. “Will it be okay if …”

 

I stifle a laugh at the adorable way he seems to trip over his own words and decide to help him out. “Maybe I’ll run into you on my lunch break again sometime?”

 

With a wink at him, I exit the café.

 

As the door closes behind me, I think I hear him say, “That would be great.”

 

Smiling at Pretty Boy Edward, I go back to work, feeling way better than how I felt walking into that café.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Houston, we have first introduction!
> 
> So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	11. Chapter-11: Stoop, Loop, Hoop

** Chapter-11: Stoop, Loop, Hoop ** ****

**Word Prompts:** Stoop, loop, hoop

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

“Lousy fucker!” I curse as I slam my phone down on my desk and slump back in my seat; suddenly feeling like all my energy has been drained out of me.

I shake my head in disbelief as the words he spoke not five minutes ago keep coming back to me. I knew from the beginning that our marriage was one of convenience and not love, but somehow I held onto the hope that one day Royce might see me as something other than a way to get his inheritance.

That was my first mistake.

My second mistake was expecting him to show a little decency after almost a whole year of marriage.

__

_ I cannot believe that he threatened to drag me to the court over this! _ I think to myself, wondering how he could stoop so low.

Before I can start moping like usual, my phone chimes, indicating an incoming message. I check the message and feel my lips pull upwards in a smile.

**__ **

**_ Good morning, Miss Rosie. How about a chicken dinner tonight? _ **

Even though there’s no name at the end, I know it’s him. The guy who made me smile after a long time …

** ~*~*~*Flashback*~*~*~ **

Sighing at Jessica-dimwit-Stanley’s incompetency, I slide my phone into my purse and start making my way to the bar where I can see my brother and Ben.

However, as I’m walking by the dance floor, I feel a hand wrap around my wrist. I look sharply at the hand holding my wrist and then at the owner of the said hand. A middle-aged man with slightly graying hair stands before me.

Seeing a guy close to my father’s age, I repress the snarky cuss I was ready to throw at him, and instead, opt for giving him a ‘what’s-up-dude’ look.

He slackens his hold on me and says politely, “Sorry, dear, but the chicken dancers are moving this way. You looked so preoccupied that I was afraid you might get run over.”

I give him a questioning look, to which he points behind him with his thumb. Then I see it. A long line of people were doing the chicken dance with a big, muscular guy in the lead.

They laugh, flail about and pull faces at each other, and I find myself smiling and clapping at the funny dancing people along with the rest of the spectators.

When the line starts to pass by me, the big guy holds up his hand, making everyone stop. “Whoa! We have a gorgeous lady here, guys,” he calls out to his troop. “What’s a chicken dance without a chick, right?” He holds a hand out to me and asks, “How about it, girl?”

Despite my horrible mood, I find myself smiling back as I look at his dimpled-smile. He loops an arm around my waist and tugs me into the line with him.

Together, we dance, and in the end, everyone forms a hoop around me as he whirls me in the middle. And amidst that, I find myself laughing again … laughing so hard that a small teardrop comes out of the corner of my eye.

He leans down and wipes away the tear. Gently, he says to me, “I don’t know why you’re crying, but you’re too beautiful to be crying.”

Yes, what he says is beyond cheesy, but it’s also the sweetest thing I remember hearing in a long time. So instead of calling him corny, I smile at him. Smiling feels good.

****

****

** ~*~*~*End of Flashback*~*~*~ **

I’m brought out of my reverie by Stanley knocking on my door. “Ms. Cullen, the team is ready for you.”

Giving her a nod, I tell her that I’m on my way and start gathering up my notes for the meeting.

Just as I’m standing up, I remember his text message.

Although he was in a gay bar that night, the way he held me to his chest made me feel like he was anything but. We haven’t talked about anything major except the occasional good mornings or have a great day, but I feel thankful to know that he’s out there.

I decide to respond to his message in kind before heading off.

**__ **

**_ Good morning to you too, Mr. McCarty. As for chicken, I prefer the dancing kind. _ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter is for two very special ladies who have become invaluable friends to me. Taylor9901, here’s the chicken-dancing I promised, girl! ;)
> 
> And savannavansmutsmut, since you like goofy Emmett, this is for you too. Love you, sweets. :*
> 
> So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	12. Chapter-12: Handle, Sandal, Candle

** Chapter-12: Handle, Sandal, Candle **

** **

** **

** **

**Word Prompts:** Handle, sandal, candle

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

The rest of the day, I alternate between repeating what happened in the café and wishing I could borrow one of Rose’s high-heeled sandals to kick my own ass. That shit would be painful enough to make up for my foot-in-mouth moment back there.

 

And in between, I remember how she winked at me before leaving. She fucking winked at me. That’s flirting, right?

 

After being with a woman like Tanya who thinks her fake boobs can fix anything, Mystery Girl’s innocent flirting feels refreshing to me.

 

Honestly, Tanya doesn’t hold a candle to her.

 

It’s true that I could have handled the situation a bit better, but at least she gave me her name.

_Bella._

_Beautiful._

 

My Mystery Girl is beautiful.

 

“Knock, knock.”

 

I look up from the paper I’ve been trying to read for the last half hour and see my sister standing at the door.

 

“Rose? What’s wrong?” Immediately, I’m on high alert.

_If she’s seeking me out at office then something must be wrong._

 

“Did the bastard do anything?”

 

She shakes her head and walks inside, a smile lighting up her face. “Can’t I just want to hang out with my brother once in a while?”

 

Her smile stays on her face as she takes a seat across from me, and after a long time, I see my sister look like her older self.

 

“Of course you can, Rose,” I reply. “I didn’t mean it that way ...”

 

She holds up a hand to silence me. “I know, Ed. I wanted to thank you for taking me out Friday night. I had fun.”

 

I think of my night and it feels anything _but_ fun. Instead of sharing the sordid tale of my sexuality with my sister, I shrug. “That was Ben’s idea.”

 

“Then I should probably thank him too.”

 

I wave her away and say, “Don’t thank that jerk. He just wanted to go and ogle one of the bartenders.”

 

Her eyes widen. “Oh? I didn’t know he plays for the other team.”

 

It dawns on me what that sounded like, and I snort. “She’s a female bartender, Rose,” I say with a smirk.

 

“Good for him then,” she says with a smile. “Do you have anything more for the Volturi Project? We meet with them in three weeks.”

 

“Yeah. Let me show you. I need a second opinion.”

 

Pulling up a chair next to her, I go about describing what I have for now.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

Rose rolls up the blueprint and hands it to me. “It’s good, little brother. I think you’ll handle the project better than me.”

 

Hearing praise in her voice makes me smile. “Thanks, sis.”

 

She stands up to leave but stops after taking two steps. “Hey, Edward?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

She looks down at her feet before looking up at me, her eyes glowing with determination. “Can you hook me up with a lawyer? I need to get a restraining order.”

 

I’m momentarily shocked at what she says. “What?”

 

She nods. “I’ve figured it out. I deserve to be happy and for that to happen, I need to be able to live without the shadow that Royce King left in my life. I want to get a restraining order against him.”

 

“I’m on it, Rose. That asshole won’t get to you, I promise,” I tell her before reaching for my phonebook.

_It’s time my sister lived for herself._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: He’s a good brother, isn’t he?
> 
> Does that clear up the reason behind the gay bar idea?
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	13. Chapter-13: Scribble

** Chapter-13: Scribble **

** **

** **

** **

**Word Prompt:** Scribble

 **Audio-Visual Challenge—Musical Mastery:** “Wichita Lineman” by Glen Campbell

Listen to the sample, then write whatever comes to you first.

 

 

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

“Your cousin is a class one asshole.”

 

I glance up from the paperwork I’m trying to focus on at Alice’s announcement. Grinning at her, I say, “That is an universal truth, Al. You should’ve known that by now.”

 

Her nose flares in anger as she huffs at my ribbing.

 

When she doesn’t add anything to that and keeps on giving me glares from time to time, I decide to bite the bullet. “What has he done now?”

 

Finally getting the opening she’s been looking for, she answers with a pout evident in her voice. “You remember the bet we had on Friday?”

 

Instantly, I’m reminded of the bet that led to the gay bar fiasco and the subsequent “Pussy-Lover Pretty Boy Saga.” Raising my eyebrow at her, I ask, “You mean the bet you guys had on about the number of gay men hitting on Em?”

 

“Yes, that’s the one,” she replies.

 

“What about it?”

 

She gives me a real pout this time as she explains. “Well, I bet that he wouldn’t get hit on by more than five guys while he bet that it will at least be ten.”

 

“And?” I ask, suddenly guessing what this must be about.

 

“Well, he got hit on by nine guys. How do we settle that?”

 

I suppress a laugh at the outcome and ask back, “What was the bet?”

 

She frowns and mutters under her breath before replying. “The winner gets to pick the loser’s cloths for a week.”

 

I cannot hold back this time and let out a very unladylike snort. “That is gonna be priceless!” I say in between guffaws.

 

“Hey! You’re my best friend. You’re supposed to help me out!” Alice protests. “Find me a way out of this. I can _no_ t be a loser!”

 

Smirking at her, I say, “You should’ve thought about that before entering that stupid bet with Emmett.”

 

Her pout becomes more prominent, and I let out an over-exaggerated sigh. “Fine. I might have a solution.”

 

Her face lights up at that. “Oh, Bella! You are a life saver.”

 

Keeping a straight face, I drop the bomb on her. “Since neither of you actually won, and I was the one who was dragged to that bar without full-discloser of our destination, I think I’m the one who should get to decide what you get to wear for the next week.”

 

A booming laugh from the doorway tells me about my cousin’s presence there, and I repeat myself. “I get to decide what you _both_ will wear for the next week.”

 

That leads to numerous cursing, threatening, crying and begging on both their parts, but I’m a rock in such cases.

 

They both leave me, looking like I’ve told them to eat sour grapes for the rest of their lives.

_What a couple of drama queens!_

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

When left alone with my thoughts, I think of Pretty Boy, or rather Pretty Boy Edward as I’ve started to call him in my head.

 

I remember how adorable he looked when he asked me to sit with him at lunch, and that’s when I realize that I’m looking forward to meeting him for lunch tomorrow. His presence seems to fill up a loneliness I never realized I felt during my solitary lunch breaks ... until now.

 

I’m brought out of my reverie when I hear my cell phone ring. “Swan,” I answer.

 

There’s silence in the other side before a voice says quietly, “Code 404 has been invoked. Note down.”

 

I reach for a pen and paper and scribble down the instructions fired off from the other end.

 

Once I’m done, the line goes dead.

 

Taking a deep breath, I stand up from my desk. It’s time to get down to business.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Intrigued? I sure hope so! ;)
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	14. Chapter-14: Porter

** Chapter-14: Porter **

**Word Prompt:** Porter

 **Dialogue Flex:** “I can’t believe she got away with it.”

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

When I get to the location given to me, all I can see it darkness.

 

 _Someone must have taken the lights out,_ I think to myself as I assess the area.

 

I take a deep breath, and a whiff of smoke assaults my senses immediately. I pull the mask over my face, and then keeping my hand hovering over the gun strapped to my thigh, I walk in.

 

Once inside, my eyes slowly get accustomed to the darkness, and I can make out outlines of people lying on the ground around me—some groaning and some not moving at all.

 

I stand with my back pressed against a pillar, praying like hell that I can manage to keep my hands steady when I need to.

 

A small peek to the left side tells me that there are two armed men approaching the pillar I’m hiding behind.

_Fuck! They know I’m here._

 

I quickly think of my options on how I can get myself out of this situation, and when I hear footsteps approaching me, I make up my mind.

_It’s go big or go home now._

 

There’s not even a moment’s hesitation as I pull out the two guns I have strapped on either side of my thighs and hold them up with both hands.

 

I count to five before quickly moving my hands. I point to the coming figures and squeeze both triggers at the same time.

 

Two soft sounds I hear are the only indication that I’ve found my mark. I wait for a heartbeat, straining my ears and finally, I hear it. Two dull thuds.

_Two suckers down._

 

I wait for a few moments, counting down the seconds in my head. When after one minute and forty seconds, I don’t hear another sound, I assume that there’s no one else left. So I leave my hiding place behind the pillar and come out into the open.

 

That’s when I see it. A red dot of a laser pointed right at my heart.

_Crap!_

 

I don’t hear the gunshot, but I do feel the bullet as it hits me squarely on the chest. “ _Fuck!_ ” I curse out loud, making my assailant laugh.

 

“Gotcha!”

 

The lights come on as we both pull off our masks, and I see my best friend standing before me with a wide grin plastered on her face. “I win!”

 

“Ridiculous!” Emmett exclaims loudly as he comes to stand between the two of us, looking bewildered. “She said she wasn’t coming all the while planning this sneak attack!” he says, pointing at Alice. “I can’t believe she got away with it.”

 

Alice giggles before reaching up to pinch his cheeks. “Emmett, I’m Alice Brandon. I get away with _everything_.”

 

He scowls at her and then returns her smile. “Except for when you bet against me.”

 

Immediately, her face darkens as she glowers at him. “I will have my revenge, McCarty!”

 

“Do I even want to know what this is about?” Eleazar, the gatekeeper for this unit—who’s more commonly called the Porter—asks as he picks up a rubber bullet from the ground and then approaches the three of us.

 

I shake his hand and shake my head. “Probably not.”

 

He gives us all pats on the back which tells us that we passed the test as he looks around the room. “Good one, guys. Kora, you need to work on your footwork a little more, but other than that, I’m happy with how you tackled this.”

 

All my teammates nod and let out a collective hoot at his appreciative tone.

 

Kora, the emo-chick of our team pulls a face at Eleazar and says, “You could always schedule a drill sometime other than in the middle of the fucking night.”

 

We all laugh at her petulance and Eleazar shakes his head at her. “Then it wouldn’t be stress testing. Now get going. We got work to do in the morning.”

 

I walk out of the training base with Emmett and Alice, feeling the adrenaline flow through me.

_This is what I am ... this is what I love._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: To answer your questions in the reviews, Code 404 refers to Riots or chaotic situations. :P
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review, please?
> 
> Since it’s no-prompt Sunday today, so you get a day off tomorrow.
> 
> See you on Tuesday. :)
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	15. Chapter-15: Lapse

** Chapter-15: Lapse ** ** **

****

****

** Word Prompt:  ** Lapse

 A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

****

****

****

I cross the street, cursing Ben to the deepest pits of hell. No, I don’t curse him for yelling my sexual preferences off in front of the girl I’m crushing on, and no, I don’t curse him for laughing at me when I told him the outcome of his monumental lapse in judgment.

I curse him for a far more fundamental reason.

He scheduled my meeting at a time which made me late for lunch ... and for Bella.

Just thinking her name brings a smile on my lips.

__

_ Yeah, Cullen, you’re a goner. _

When I reach the café, I rush inside, praying like hell that she’s still here waiting for me.

But the café looks deserted except for the lady behind the counter and an elderly couple sitting by one of the windows.

__

_ Shit! I missed her,  _ I think as I rub a hand over my face, cursing Ben once again.

The counter-lady takes a look at me, and I see a mischievous smile on her face as she beckons me to go to her.

“Yeah?” I ask her, feeling more than a little dejected at Bella’s absence.

Counter-lady, whose name-tag reads Katarina, raises an eyebrow at me and asks back, “Looking for someone, boy?”

I think about denying it for a moment before thinking better of it. After all she knows who I’m looking for.

With a sigh, I nod, not feeling up to chatting with her.

She chuckles and says, “Your girl is pretty determined. She wouldn’t leave without meeting you.” She points toward one of the windows, and I see that Bella is indeed here ... waiting for me.

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

****

****

****

I walk out of the café and slowly approach the spot where Bella stands. When I’m close enough to touch her, I take a moment to admire her beauty.

She stands facing the park adjacent to the café, her arms relaxed by her sides. With her eyes closed, and the wind fanning her hair around her face, she looks like an angel.

I move closer to her and whisper in her ear, “Enjoying the sun again, Bella?”

A slow smile lights up her face as she opens her eyes and looks at me. “No,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m enjoying the wind today.”

A chuckle escapes me at her words, and I see a blush spread on her cheeks.

She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and bites her lip, avoiding looking at me. “You must think I’m crazy, huh? Watching the sun and feeling the wind?”

Raising an eyebrow at her, I point to myself. “ _You’re_ crazy? Then what am I? Mr. Verbal Diarrhea?”

She scrunches up her nose and looks at me thoughtfully. “No, I like Pretty Boy better.”

“ _Just_ Pretty Boy?” I ask, needing clarification.

She laughs and nods. “As long as the first bit still applies, we don’t need to add that in civilized conversations.”

I let out a sigh of relief and ask her, “So there will be more conversations in our future?”

A teasing smile takes over her beautiful face as she says, “Oh, Pretty Boy Edward, you can count on it. Now are you hungry?”

“For food?” The question is out of my mouth before I can stop myself.

__

_ Fucking hell, Cullen! Talk about verbal diarrhea, _ I mentally kick myself as soon as the words are out of my mouth.

Bella blinks at me before a letting out a small giggle. The next thing I know we’re both laughing, and for once I don’t mind that it’s at my expense.

When she can finally control her giggles, she entwines her arm with mine like it’s the most natural thing in the world and says, “For now, yeah, food is what I’m talking about. Let’s go get lunch.”

As I walk back inside the café with Bella leading the way, I realize that this indeed feels natural.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *Giggles* PLPB is back! Who missed him? *Raises hand up high*
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review, please?
> 
> Hope you’re having fun with these crazy kids.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	16. Chapter-16: Remedy

** Chapter-16: Remedy ** ** **

****

****

** Word Prompt:  ** Remedy

** Plot Generator—Binding Blurb: **  In 500 words or fewer, write a blurb or a short entry about  **being torn in two directions.**

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

Just as I’m about to take my first bite of lunch, Edward clears his throat and looks at me with a shy smile on his face.

I tilt my head to the side and wait for him to speak.

“You know, you never gave me a last name,” he starts. “All I have is Mysterious and Beautiful Bella.”

I feel my cheeks heat up when he calls me beautiful and I lower my gaze, trying to hide the smile threatening to split my face into two as I counter him, “You never gave me yours either.”

“It’s Cullen. Edward Cullen.”

His answer makes me itch to tease him, so I do. “Then I’m Bond, James Bond.”

“What?”

His confused expression makes me giggle. “Sorry. I couldn’t resist. I’m Bella Swan.”

A soft smile plays on his lips as he repeats my name before saying, “Beautiful Swan, indeed.”

His words make me realize that we don’t really know much about each other, except for our sexual preferences of course.

__

_ Well, I’ll have to remedy that. _

In between bites, I ask him questions about himself and what he does.

It turns out that he’s an architect who joined his parents’ architectural firm after graduating and now, he runs a successful company with the help of his older sister.

The way he speaks about his work tells me that he’s very passionate about what he does.

And then, he poses the million dollar question. “What do you do, Bella?”

Just like that, I feel like I’m being torn in two directions.

A part of me wants to share my work with him because I love what I do; it’s my passion. However, another part, a bigger one, refuses to let go of years of training and share information with a still-somewhat stranger.

__

_ Also, there’s a good chance that he’ll make a run for the hills if he knows what I do. _

So, I offer him a smile and say, “Well, Mr. Cullen, that is something you need to find out.”

My attempt works, and I see him return my smile. “Oh Ms. Swan, trust me, I will find out.”

“Good luck with that,” I respond with a wink.

Inside, I’m praying that he doesn’t find out any time soon.

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

At the end of our meal, he hesitates for a moment before taking a deep breath and asking me, “Do you think I can call you?”

I open my mouth, but he continues, shutting me up. “I mean, I like the mystery of sudden meetings here. But maybe we could schedule a time that way?” He stumbles over his words, looking adorable as fuck. “Fuck! I’m so bad at this, aren’t I?” he asks.

Smiling, I pick up a tissue and jot down my number before handing it over to him. “I think you’re better than you give yourself credit for.”

With a swift wink at him, I leave, my heart beating faster in hopes of hearing from Pretty Boy soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So … thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	17. Chapter-17: Fabric

** Chapter-17: Fabric **

**Word Prompt:** Fabric

 **Dialogue Flex:** "The more, the merrier."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

 

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Going back to office from lunch, I feel a lightness in my heart. Why? Because Bella likes my flirting expertise. _Ok, so she didn’t necessarily say that she liked it, but it was implied_ , I reason with myself as I flash a grin at Ben when I run into him in the elevator.

 

“Someone seems to be in a good mood,” he says with a waggle of his eyebrows. “Did you get some, boss man?”

 

I roll my eyes at him. “Dude, your mind always runs for the gutter, doesn’t it?”

 

He lets out a heavy sigh before saying with a straight face, “Sadly, no. My mind practically _lives_ there.”

 

I attempt to give him an exasperated look which quickly morphs into a smile as he keeps shaking his head at his own mind’s sad fate.

 

Catching my smile, he remarks, “Seriously though, you seem happier today.”

 

“I _am_ happier,” I reply. “I got my Mystery Girl’s number today.”

_And she also kind of said that she might get hungry for more than food someday soon,_ I add in my head, remembering that little suggestive note in her voice.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

In the board meeting Rose was supposed to conduct in the afternoon, she’s a no-show. So, I have to take over for her which manages to make me focus on something other than a very different kind of hunger I’m feeling for Bella.

 

We touch bases on how the Volturi Empires want their new project to be designed, and I make a few mental notes on which architects to be assigned on this project. It’s going to be one of the biggest projects I’ve had to lead in after becoming the CEO of Cullen Dreams Ltd.

 

Once the meeting is over, I sit in my office, jotting down points on how to tackle this monumental step for us when there’s a knock on my door.

 

“Come in,” I call.

 

The door opens just a crack, and Rose peeks through it. “Got a minute, Edward?”

 

“Of course, Rose. Come on in.”

 

She enters the room and takes a seat across from me.

 

I look at her for a moment and then state in a conversational tone, “Missed you at the meeting today.”

 

“Meeting?” She looks baffled at my remark before her eyes go wide. “Oh shit! The meeting about the VE Project. I can’t believe I missed it.”

 

The flicker of remorse in her eyes makes me interrupt her before she could work herself up into a frenzy. “Rose, it’s ok. I took care of it.”

 

“I’m so sorry, Ed. I completely forgot about it.”

 

“Hey, I told you, it’s ok,” I say reassuringly. “Where did you go anyway?”

 

She looks down at her hand before answering me. “I was having a late lunch with a friend.”

_Good. She needs to be around her friends more_.

 

Smiling at her, I say, “That’s great, Rose. I’m happy to see you stepping out of the office for a change.”

 

She smiles back. “Thanks. It feels good to be out once in a while. Thank you for taking care of the meeting.”

 

I wave her away. “I’m always here for you, Rose. Although I must tell you, I was thinking we need to put more people on the project.”

 

“The more, the merrier,” she responds with a smile. “It’s a big project anyway. We’ll see whom to assign which task.”

 

“Yeah, that will be a good idea,” I say.

 

She stands up to leave, stops at the doorway before turning her gaze back on me. “Hey, Edward? Can I ask you something?” she asks hesitantly.

 

“Sure.”

 

“Does pink fabric on guys seem a little weird to you?”

_What? Where did that come from?_

 

Feeling confused, I ask back, “What?”

 

She looks like she’s regretting the question as she repeats herself.

 

I narrow my eyes. “Define fabric. What kind are we talking about?”

 

I expect her to answer with shirt, trousers, or hell, fucking boxers, what I don’t anticipate is her real answer. “A feather boa.”

_What the fuck? A guy in pink feather boa? She’s not into drags, is she?_

 

Rose makes a hasty exit after that, leaving me wondering how to respond if she does like some drag queen.

 

Well, I’m nothing if not a supportive brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Any guesses on who the guy in pink feather boa might be? *Giggles*
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> Keep your eyes on FB and Twitter (@TwiAddictAnne) for teasers for tomorrow’s Redemption of A Lost Soul update.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	18. Chapter-18: Hallucinate, Mediate, Liberate

** Chapter-18: Hallucinate, Mediate, Liberate **

****

**Word Prompts:**  Hallucinate, mediate, liberate

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

 

 

 

I couldn’t help but laugh as I saw my big bad cousin strut through the office wearing his favorite leather jacket with a very pink and very fluffy feather boa draped across his shoulders.

 

People start to drop what they’re doing and stare at Emmett, probably wondering if they’re hallucinating.

 

When he comes to a stop in front of me, I let out a low whistle. “Wow, Em! You can definitely work a feather boa. You sure you wanna work _here_? You’ll be a millionaire if you worked in a drag club, you know?”

 

“I think he needs to put a little more twerk in his swagger, don’t you, Bella?” Alice pipes up from beside me.

 

Emmett glares at us and points to me. “You are a pig for making me wear this today of all days.” Then turning to look at Alice, he adds, “And for your information, I rock this feather boa. I’m sure if I walked into a gay bar wearing this, I’ll be hit on by at least twenty guys.”

 

Alice narrows her eyes at him, and asks in a threateningly sweet tone, “Want a rematch, big guy?”

 

I quickly step in between them, not wanting to be dragged to another gay bar or worse—a drag club—over this. Trying to mediate the situation, I say, “Alright you two. Break it off. Alice, remember what happened when you entered a bet in the first place. You sure you want a rematch of _that_?”

 

I wait till she shakes her head before looking at Emmett. “Em, what’s wrong with today?”

 

For the first time since we’d all caught him masturbating using our grandma’s lotion when he was fifteen, I see my cousin blush. He clears his throat and says quietly, “I had lunch with a friend … a friend who happens to be a girl.”

 

My eyes widen as soon as it hits me. “Shit! You had a lunch date and went there wearing _that_?”

 

He gives me a hopeless nod, making Alice giggle at the look on his face. “I bet you scared the ever loving shit out of her, Em!” she says with a grin.

 

Emmett shoots another glare at her and then grins maliciously. “Why don’t you take off that ridiculously long trench coat you have on, Al? It’ll feel more liberating, I think.”

 

“No! No, no, no! Em, I’m sorry,” she starts in a pleading tone.

 

“Off. Now.”

 

I shrug at Alice, silently telling her that it’s her turn to keep her end of the bargain.

 

She cusses us both as she finally takes off her coat, letting everyone what she has on underneath.

 

There’s a collective gasp from all around us as people see Alice Brandon, the style diva of our team, stand there wearing a Spongebob Squarepants T-shirt and baggy sweatpants.

 

There is pin-drop silence in the office which makes Alice let out a huff. “C’mon people, haven’t you seen a hobo-wannabe before?”

 

A snort escapes me at the sight of her which makes Em let out a hearty laughter.

 

She looks at me and repeats Emmett’s sentiment from moments ago. “You’re really are a pig, Swan. I miss my dresses!”

 

Then, in true Alice Brandon fashion, she walks off with her head held high.

_Poor Alice,_ I think gleefully. _Payback can be a real bitch._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: That was payback for every time Alice played Bella Barbie in the books … at least in my head. ;)
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> Redemption of A Lost Soul update is now live. So come over and say hello?
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	19. Chapter-19: Stale

** Chapter-19: Stale **

**Word Prompt** : Stale

 **Audio-Visual Challenge—Imagined Image** : An empty plate.

  

View the image and write whatever comes to you.

 

                                            

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

I pop the last piece of meatball in my mouth and push my empty plate away, letting out a sigh of utter contentment.

_No one cooks spaghetti and meatballs like my mom!_

 

My mother, Esme, gives me a very satisfied smile and pats my back. “You want me to pack the leftovers for you? You can have them for lunch tomorrow.”

 

For a moment, just one tiny little moment, I consider taking her up on her offer and maybe sharing the awesomeness that’s my mom’s spaghetti and meatballs with Bella.

 

However, that little voice in my head tells me that by doing so, I’ll show her that I’m a Mama’s Boy, and I really didn’t want her to know that about me ... at least not yet.

 

You see, I have this brilliant plan to make her fall madly in love with me. _But these things take time; or so I’ve heard._

 

So I smile at my mother and say, “Sure, Mom. That would be great.”

_Yeah, I’m not gonna take those for lunch, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a late night snack._

 

She happily packs them up for me and sets it in front of me.

 

My dad, who had been thankfully silent up until now, turns his gaze on me and asks sternly, “Are you eating healthy, son?”

 

I nod at him, mentally reasoning with myself that since cows eat grass, so technically, I’m getting the same energy from beef. _That’s the definition of eating my greens._

 

However, the health enthusiast in him makes him tilt his head to the side and ask again, “Any expired products in your refrigerator?”

 

“No, sir,” I reply, making a mental note about throwing away the stale bread from last week when I get home.

 

Hey, don’t judge me. I’m a bachelor. I’m supposed to scratch my balls when I’m alone and wear my underwear inside out till I can’t find a clean surface on the thing. But, I’m not like that. What I struggle with is restocking my refrigerator every once in a while.

_And that’s why I need a woman in my life—to keep me in check ... a woman like Bella,_ I think to myself.

 

Of course, my daydreams about having Bella in my life must have been plainly apparent on my face because dad quirks an eyebrow at me. “You okay there, son? You seem a little bit preoccupied.”

 

“Preoccupied? Who? Me?” I shoot the questions at him in quick succession while widening my eyes as if wide eyes will tell him that I was awake during his rant.

_Stupid, Edward!_

 

That, of course, gives mom the cue to start her own rant about how I’m working too much and taking too much stress upon myself.

_Parents! Worrying comes with the territory I guess._

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

After ensuring my mom for the umpteenth time that I’m not under constant pressure and promising my dad that I’ll try to eat at home every once in a while, I make an exit from their home.

 

Once I’m home, I dispose of the stale loaf of bread that would’ve given my poor dad a heart attack and settle down on my bed for the night.

 

On an impulse, I pull out my phone and shoot off a text to the number Bella gave me.

**How was your day, beautiful Bella? ~Edward**

 

Simple and slightly cheesy, just the way girls like it.

 

Her response comes after one whole minute.

**Edward? I thought you’d sign your name as Pretty Boy! ;)**

**My day was good. How was yours? ~Not-so-beautiful Bella**

 

I frown at her response. How can she call herself “Not so beautiful?”

**Are you sure your eyesight is in perfect working condition? How can you call yourself Not-so-beautiful? ~Edward**

 

This time, she answers immediately.

**Oh Edward! Flattery might get you on a wild ride. ~Bella.**

 

I note with satisfaction that she has signed her name as just Bella.

**Will you be on that ride with me? In that case, I’m in. ~Edward.**

 

When her reply comes, I find myself grinning so widely that my cheeks hurt a little.

**Count on it, Pretty Boy. ~Bella.**

_Does this count as flirting? God! I hope so._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: See? PLPB has a PLAN! ;)
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	20. Chapter-20: Flaw

** Chapter-20: Flaw **

**Word Prompt:** Flaw

 **Plot Generator—Phrase Catch:** Dance the night away.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

 

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

I watch him make his way to me.

 

The struggle to put one foot ahead after the other is apparent on his face. He takes three more steps before bowing his head in a sign of resignation.

 

Then, in the view of everyone present, he reaches behind himself, grabs a handful of his leather pants and pulls.

 

And that, right there, makes my control snap. I start laughing hysterically as he shoots me a death glare and continues to walk forward.

 

When he reaches us, Alice can’t keep the glee off of her voice as she asks, “Something got stuck in your buttcrack, Em?”

 

Emmett pulls a face at her before turning to me. “Your punishment choice or choice of punishment … whatever … it has a major flaw, Bells. You do see the unfairness of this don’t you?”

 

I pretend to get offended and hold a hand to my chest. “Did you just call _me_ unfair, Em? How could you? I’m hurt!”

 

“Shut it,” he almost growls at me. “You’re making me wear these fucked up leather pants while squirt here gets off with just wearing a hoodie and baggy jeans? How the fuck is that fair?”

 

Immediately, Alice’s smile vanishes and she tugs at the gray hoodie and yellow baggy jeans in question before snarling at Em. “ _Just_ a hoodie? JUST a hoodie? Let me tell you, Emmett McCarty, this shit is super scratchy. And have you even looked at these ridiculous jeans? They’re yellow for fuck’s sake! It’s like I’ve got poop painted on my ass!”

 

Of course her outburst sets me off yet again, and I’m a few moments away from falling down to the floor with the force of my laughter.

 

“Boo-fucking-hoo, Alice. Have you even thought of the ramifications of my wearing these pants?”

 

I school my expression to make it look innocent and ask, “What kind of ramifications?”

 

Emmett looks at me closely—probably to check whether I’m gonna laugh again or not—and then continues, “I’m not even gonna say anything about how sweaty my balls are in here, but dude! You could’ve at least thought about the heat expansion.”

 

“The what?” Alice and I ask together.

 

Rolling his eyes at our lack of knowledge, he explains. “Heat expansion. You know like in the Friends TV series when Ross’s legs expanded from the heat of wearing leather pants?”

 

One sentence. That’s all it takes to make us both howl with laughter as Emmett continues to scowl at us.

 

“I’m kind of missing the damn boa right now,” he says with a deep sigh. “The pink feathery shit you made me keep draped around me the whole day.”

 

“You’re kidding, right?” Alice abruptly stops laughing and asks.

 

He shakes his head. “Nope, dead serious. I’d have gladly draped that shit on me and danced the night away in a gay bar for a week if I had to choose between that and these volcano pants.”

 

I raise my eyebrows at his remarks and start to open my mouth to pull his leg some more when I hear my phone chirp with an incoming text message.

 

Wordlessly, I pull it out and see that it’s indeed from Pretty Boy. A wide smile stretches on my face as I read his words.

**Good morning, beautiful girl. I hope I get to join you in sun-watching today. ~Pretty Boy.**

 

That makes me look down at my watch and wonder just how long the next two hours are gonna be.  _If guys are called pussy-whipped, what would that make me? Dick-whipped or Pussy-lover-boy-whipped?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: What do you think she is? ;)
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you on Tuesday.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	21. Chapter-21: Trinket

** Chapter-21: Trinket **

**Word Prompt:** Trinket

 A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

 

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

“Are you sure she’s into _drags_ now?” Ben asks me again.

 

I give him an exasperated look. “Dude! Why would any guy wear a feather boa if he _isn’t_ a drag?”

 

He opens his mouth to offer some explanation when I add, “And it was fucking pink, man! What else can that mean?”

 

Ben blinks and then agrees with a shrug. “Well, whatever floats her boat, I guess? If a pink feather boa wearing drag makes her happy then so be it, you know?”

 

I nod. “Yeah, I guess that fucktard put her off men … sort of,” I say, once again condemning Royce Asshole King to the deepest pits of hell for hurting my sister.

 

He stands up from his seat and starts gathering his papers before he stops. A grin stretches on his face as he says, “I completely forgot to tell you, Whit’s coming.”

 

“Whit? _Our_ Whit?” I ask, needing clarification.

 

“Yep. Jasper Whitlock—the one and only.”

 

A ridiculous smile takes over my face at the thought of seeing my old college roommate and other best friend. “When?”

 

“Thursday. We’ve got to go out for drinks on Friday after work,” Ben tells me.

 

Nodding, I reply, “As long as it’s not a gay bar, I’m in.”

 

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

I’m halfway through the blueprints I need to go through today when there’s a knock on my door.

 

“Come in.”

 

It opens, and Rosalie walks in with a smile on her face. “How’s your day going, little brother?”

 

Her greeting makes me narrow my eyes at her. “You seem to be in a better mood.”

 

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am,” she says, holding up a Tiffany’s blue box. “I just found a trinket.”

 

Offering her a confused nod, I say, “Good for you.”

 

“Until I opened the card that came with it, I thought so too. As it turns out, I was wrong. This isn’t for me. It’s for you.”

 

I watch in horror as she opens the box, and shows me a gold fucking bracelet with the words ‘My Froggy’ inscribed on them.

 

“What the fuck?”

 

With a smirk, she holds out a card for me to see, and what I read makes my blood boil in anger.

**My dearest Froggy Eddie,**

**This is a reminder that you’ll be my prince one day.**

**Your Tanya.**

 

“Fucking delusional bitch!” I let out a groan. “Why can’t she take a hint?”

 

Rose lays an understanding hand on my shoulder as she says something I never expected to hear from her, “I can take care of her for you, brother. If you want.”

 

The twinkle of mischief in her eyes makes me smile. She’s becoming her older self more and more with time. “Gladly,” I respond.

_Maybe the Drag Queen is helping her._

 

Closing my files, I stand up. I need something to take the disgusting bracelet off my mind. I need something that makes me smile. _I need my Bella time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Does anyone else think the Drag Queen is helping Rose?
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review. :)
> 
> We’ll have our Bella Time tomorrow as well. So, see you tomorrow.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	22. Chapter-22: Key

** Chapter-22: Key **

 

 

 

 **Word Prompt:** Key

 **Dialogue Flex:** "I'm sorry, I didn't catch you name?"

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

Walking inside the café, I take a deep breath. The smell of coffee makes me smile. I love this part of my day where I get to be just Bella and not care about the shitstorm waiting for me when I get back.

 

Because a shitstorm is always waiting to take over.

 

Katarina gives me a half wave from behind the counter, and I walk up to her. “Hey.”

 

“Hey, girl,” she greets me with a smile. “Your boy isn’t here yet.”

 

Her knowing smile makes me blush and I can’t help but ask, “Have you told anyone about … him?”

 

Shaking her head, she replies, “Not my story to tell.”

 

I give her a grateful smile. Over the last few months’ worth of business, she has become more of a friend than an accomplice.

 

Just then the bell at the top of the door tinkles, and I turn around to see Edward enter the café.

 

His eyes immediately find mine, and I see a smile stretch over his face.

 

_God! He’s so pretty!_

 

I glance at Katarina before making my way to him. When I’m close enough to look into his eyes, I detect a worry in his usually bright eyes. “Rough day?” I ask.

 

He reaches out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear and then shrugs. “It’s better now.”

 

And just like that, my heart melts a little.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

We settle down at our corner with our lunch, and after taking a few bites, he sighs. “Bella?” he calls my name tentatively.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Can I … I mean, will you … would it be okay if …” he stops and runs his hand through his hair before trying again. “Let me take you out.”

 

I feel my eyes widen. “Like on a date?” I ask just to be clear because in my world, ‘taking someone out’ means something far more deadly.

 

He looks shy and so fucking hopeful when he nods. “Yes. I want to do this properly.”

 

“And you assumed that I wanted to date you?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

 

A crestfallen look comes to his face as he looks down at his plate of food.

_Shit! I’ve upset him._

 

“I just …” he starts, but I lean forward and put a hand on his knee to stop him.

 

“I’d love to.”

 

His eyes search mine as soon as he hears my words. “What?”

 

I nod, offering him a timid smile. “I’m not used to guys like you, Edward. So for me, the key to get out of any sudden potentially-awkward situation is making weird attempts at joking. Sorry.”

 

“What do you mean by ‘guys like me’?” he asks with a frown.

 

Biting my lip, I answer, “I mean sweet, shy and so frigging pretty.”

 

A sweet smile lights up his face as he takes my hand from his knee and pulls it to his lips.

_Damn! He’s such a gentleman!_

 

“So are you free on …”

 

“Bells! There you are!” Edward’s words are drowned by Emmett’s loud voice. “Dude, I’ve been looking all over for you!”

 

Edward stands up from his seat and narrows his eyes at Emmett. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name …?” he says with an edge in his voice.

 

If I wasn’t so shocked by my cousin’s sudden appearance, I’d have been so turned on by the way Edward glares at him.

 

“McCarty,” Em tells him with a nod before turning to me. “We gotta go. NOW! It’s 187.”

 

“Fuck!” I curse out loud and give him a sharp nod to say that I’ll be right behind him.

 

When he’s out of the door, I see an open-mouthed Edward looking at me and I feel a piece of my heart break as I see suspicion in his eyes for the first time. “Edward, I need to go. I’ll call you, I promise.”

 

I don’t wait to hear his response before rushing out of the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *Holds hands up in surrender* It’s a zero-angst fic, guys, remember that. We’re just getting started on the fun part.
> 
> So … thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	23. Chapter-23: Green

** Chapter-23: Green **

**Word Prompt:** Green

 **Plot Generator—Idea Completion:** Fact or fiction.

An idea or concept is presented. Follow where it leads you.

 

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

 _She left. She actually left._ The words keep being repeated in my head as I stand in the café ... alone.

 

As I try to wrap my mind around the fact that she left with another guy, the green monster of jealousy tries to rear its ugly head, but I squash it down. _After all she agreed to go on a date with me, didn’t she?_

 

I move to walk out of the place, Katarina, the lady who mans the counter, offers me a sad smile. “She’s just too busy at times, honey,” she says soothingly.

 

Immediately, my eyebrows pull up in question. “How do you know that? Do you know her?”

 

She shakes her head quickly. “No, no. Why would I know her? She’s one of my regulars and that’s it.”

 

“Then how do you know that she’s too busy?”

 

She seems a little flustered when she answers me. “She just seems the type, you know?” Without allowing me to utter another word, she turns and heads toward the kitchen.

_What the fuck is going on? Does she know something about Bella that I don’t?_

 

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

The rest of my work day is full of hair-pulling and cursing out whomever I can put blame on for cutting my Bella Time short. But aside from all of it, the truth remains that I have no idea who Bella Swan is, and that frustrates the hell out of me.

 

At the end of the day, I stand in the elevator and watch the green number flash by as it descends. My mind continues to puzzle over the happenings of my day.

 

The sound of the soft ding as the door opens brings me out of my thoughts. As I’m walking toward my car in the parking lot, I see Rose smile at me. “Ed, I’ve thought of a few of the nastiest punishments for that bitch. You just have to take your pick, brother. Do you think a fake silicon cut up body part will be too much ...?” she trails off as she notices the frown on my face.

 

Grabbing my chin, she moves my head from side to side, like mom used to do when we were kids. “Nah, there are no bruises,” she remarks with a clucking noise. “You don’t look like you got into a fist fight with Ben.”

 

I let out a sigh and say patiently, “Rose, no matter how often he still continues to piss me off, we’re not teenagers anymore. We know how to respect the professional environment here.”

 

She rolls her eyes and mutters, “Clearly.” She asks me again, “Why the long face then, little brother?”

 

For a second, I debate about telling her all about the mystery that was Bella Swan, but then decide to keep quiet.

_She hasn’t called me yet when she promised that she would,_ I think to myself. _I shouldn’t tell anyone about her until I knew where I stand ... where_ we _stand._

 

“Just a long day at the office, sis,” I reply.

 

She pats my cheek and gives me an understanding smile. “Alrighty then. Off you go. We’ll discuss _Operation: Cut the Bitch_ tomorrow.”

 

I laugh when I hear the name of her latest project, but even to my ears, the sound seems pretty hollow.

_How can someone who’s still almost a complete stranger to me affect me this way?_

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

The whole evening, I obsess over the fact that I haven’t heard from Bella at all.

_She said she’d call._

_I hope she’s ok._

_God! Please let her be ok._

_Maybe she doesn’t care enough about me to call._

 

So many thoughts keep running through my head, alternating from hope to worry to frustration.

 

When I climb into bed to try to fall asleep, I still keep my phone with me.

 

I stare at it for a few moments, willing it to ring.

 

A small voice in my head wonders if Bella Swan is indeed a real person, or just a figment of my imagination. But then again, I know that my imagination isn’t strong enough to picture the beauty that was Bella Swan.

 

While I’m caught in my inner battle over whether she’s a fact in my life or just a part of a fiction I’m dreaming up, my phone starts ringing.

 

Looking at the caller ID, I feel my back stiffen. I take the call and ask in a low whisper, “Bella? Are you real?”

 

There’s a deafening silence in the other end before I hear her sweet voice answer just as softly, “Edward, believe me, I want to be real ... for you.”

 

Immediate relief washes over me because at least she called. At least she wants to work it out. However, her next words leave me mystified.

 

“For that, you need to know who I am ... in real life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: We’re almost at the big reveal. Hang on tight, everyone. ;)
> 
> So … thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Keep an eye out on Twitter (@TwiAddictAnne) for teasers for Redemption of A Lost Soul. ;)
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	24. Chapter-24: Fiddle, Riddle, Middle

** Chapter-24: Fiddle, Riddle, Middle **

**Word Prompts:**  Fiddle, riddle, middle

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

I sit in the car, fiddling with the stereo for a minute before giving up. I look up for the eighth time out of the window and feel my heart hurt a little bit more at the emptiness that greets me.

_Fuck! He’s not coming._

_He’s thought it over during the night and has decided that I’m not worth it._

_Maybe he’s stuck in traffic._

_Shit! I’ve scared him off, and he hasn’t even seen anything._

 

My mind is riddled with so many contradictory thoughts that I wish I could get a latté right now. I wonder if this would’ve been easier in our usual spot at the café, but then shake the thought off. This had to be between just us … away from prying eyes and eavesdropping nosy assholes.

 

I’m in the middle of my third time flipping open my phone and scrolling down to his name when there’s a knock on my window.

 

Glancing up from my hands, I see him standing there, looking unsure as hell.

 

I lean over and open the passenger side door for him. “Get in,” I say, and he does before turning those expressive green eyes on me.

 

“We’re parked half a block away from the café,” he says.

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

The confusion is evident in his voice as he asks, “Why couldn’t we meet in there like always?”

 

Biting my lip, I fidget with my watch and reply, “Because Katarina can be a nosy bitch at times.”

 

“So you do know her?” he asks sharply. “She denied all about it yesterday.”

 

I nod. “Yep, denial is a part of her job; as is being nosy.”

 

He lets out a dry chuckle and says, “I don’t think I can take anymore of the suspense, Bella.”

 

Immediately, I feel horrible for leaving him hanging last night, but I needed to see his face when I told him the truth. “She’s an informant,” I say quickly. “Katarina, I mean.”

 

“Informant?” his eyebrow arches in that super sexy way as he asks.

 

“Yeah, _my_ informant to be precise,” I tell him.

 

He swallows at that, and I can’t help but notice how his Adam’s apple bobs up and down with the action.

_Fuck! I’d love to kiss him there._

 

I’m brought out of my lustful and very inappropriate thoughts by his next question. “Bella, you aren’t part of the mob, are you?”

 

“What?”

 

He clears his throat before trying to explain himself. “You know, like in the Godfather?”

 

An untimely giggle threatens to burst through my lips as I look at him, not being able to believe what I’m hearing. “You think I’m part of a mob?”

 

He shrugs, probably aiming to look all nonchalant as he answers me. “Well you’re so mysterious and then yesterday that half-giant-sized guy came looking for you. So …”

 

This time, I cannot control myself, and the giggle bursts free.

 

“Oh great! Now you’re laughing at me.” I swear his lower lip juts out a little as he all but pouts at me.

 

Shaking my head at the impossible situation we have in our hands, I try to stifle my laughter and say, “I’m not laughing _at_ you, baby. I’m just laughing near you.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I’m as far from a mobster as I can be.” Taking a deep breath, I tell him the truth about myself. “Edward, I’m a federal agent.”

 

He stares at me for a moment before his eyes widen in shock. “You’re an FBI agent?”

 

“Yep,” I say. “Organized crime division—exact opposite of the mob.”

 

“But … but …” he stammers a little before sighing and opening his mouth again. “Really? You don’t seem like the heartless FBI agents on TV.”

 

I smile at his remark. “That’s because I’m _not_ heartless,” I tell him and pull out my badge to show him.

 

“Holy shit! You _are_ an FBI agent,” he exclaims. “One with a heart.”

 

“Of course I have a heart, Mr. Cullen,” I say with a wink. “Otherwise where would you live?”

 

His smile falters for a moment before stretching wider, almost threatening to split his face in two. “Does that mean our date’s still on?”

 

Leaning into his side, I brush my lips on his cheek. “Count on it, mister.”

 

His answering grin is so bright that I decide then and there that I’ll spend more time watching his smile from now on than the sun because his smile does seem to have the power to brighten up my day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *Grins cheekily* How’s everyone doing? Good? Bad? Still a little confused?
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> My other WIP, Redemption of A Lost Soul updated a few minutes ago. So, check that one out too if you want.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	25. Chapter-25: Behavior

** Chapter-25: Behavior **

**Word Prompt:** Behavior

 **Scenario:** The competition is just getting started.

Complete the scenario in any way, in any style, and for any word count. Open your mind and follow where it leads, writing as you go.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

“So what’s Code 187?” I ask her as we walk together to the café.

 

She stops in her tracks and looks at me with wide eyes. “What?”

 

I rub the back of my neck self-consciously as I say in response, “Yesterday, when the big guy came to look for you, he said something about a code 187 …” I give her a look of uncertainty when I add, “Hey, he’s not ... someone you … uh … like, is he?”

_God! Cullen, could sound more awkward?_ I cuss at myself, thinking that maybe I should just permanently change my name into Awkward Cullen instead.

 

She eyebrows rise in curiosity as she asks, “Why?”

 

“Just getting ideas, you know?” I ask back with a shrug.

 

“About what?”

 

“Competition. If he is interested in you, you need to tell him that I won’t back down.”

 

She scrunches up her nose a little bit and prompts me, “Anything else?”

 

“Yeah,” I reply after thinking for a moment. “You can tell him that if he wants a competition, he’ll get a competition. It’s just getting started anyway.”

 

I feel very manly with the way I’ve managed to articulate myself—until I see the way her cheeks flush with the effort to keep from laughing. “What?” I ask, cautiously.

 

She shakes her head and reaches down to take my hand in hers. “Edward, there’s no competition. The guy you saw yesterday …?”

 

“McCarty,” I supply the name helpfully, making her smile at me.

 

“Yes, Emmett McCarty. He’s my cousin, and teammate,” she explains rubbing my thumb with hers. “You have no competition to worry about.”

_Fuck! I’m the lamest guy on the planet!_

 

“Shit! Sorry. I uh …” I trail off, not sure what I can say to minimize my embarrassment.

 

However, as it turns out, I have nothing to worry about because I have Bella with me. She doesn’t laugh at me for my slightly (okay, a lot) caveman-like behavior. Instead, she stills me by tugging on my hand and presses a soft kiss to my cheek.

 

I feel the heat of her kiss radiate through me and warm her from inside.

 

_And that doesn’t make you sound a little bit like a pussy, Cullen!_

 

“You don’t need to apologize, Edward,” she whispers in my ear. “It’s actually quite endearing the way you want to fight for me.”

 

I’m suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that we’re standing in the middle of a sidewalk en route to the café. Why? Because I have a hunch that pouncing on her in public wouldn’t probably seem quite so _endearing_ to Bella.

_But man! A guy can always fantasize, right?_

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

Bella lets out a soft moan as she takes the first sip of her coffee, immediately sending the sound right to brain—which happened to be directly connected to my dick.

_Not a good time, Cullen,_ I mentally chastise myself and try to think of anything that might calm me down.

 

What I don’t expect is her next words, which make me think of anything _but_ my dick—just like that.

 

“So code 187 refers to homicide,” she tells me with a nod of her head.

 

“Hom-ee-siiide?” The word leaves a sour taste in my mouth as I repeat it.

 

“Uh-huh. The police thought it was a mob-hit at first and notified our unit, but when we got there, it seemed like a singular murder—not at all like typical mob-hits.”

 

The realization that this amazingly beautiful woman sitting across from me knows what typical mob-hits look like, almost makes my heart stop.

 

Reaching across the table, I take her hand in mine, needing to feel her presence there with me. “Bella,” I ask quietly. “You’re not in any danger, are you?”

 

Her lips stop in mid-smile, and she frowns. “Danger? Why would I be in any danger?”

 

I can’t find the words to express the worry that made my heart stutter when she told me about the murder. So, I just say with a half-shrug, “Mob means guns and shit, you know?”

 

A teasing glint comes to her eyes as she winks at me. “Who told you that _I_ don’t like guns?”

 

And just like that, I’m hard again.

_Fuck! This situation unbelievably insane … and insanely hot. What are you doing to me, Bella Swan?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: That’s a good question, no?
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	26. Chapter-26: Delay

** Chapter-26: Delay **

 

 

 

 **Word Prompt:** Delay

 **Dialogue Flex:** "Will we still be friends after all this is over?"

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

 

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

“So how was the _Pretty_ Boy?” I’m startled out of my Edward-induced haze by the sound of Emmett’s voice.

 

Knowing his obnoxious ways to scare my potential love interests away in the past, I feign innocence. “Pretty who?”

 

He rolls his eyes at my very flat attempt at acting and repeats his question. “How was the Pretty Boy?” When I keep quiet, he elaborates, “The one who was giving me death-glare yesterday, I mean.”

 

His question reminds me how protective Edward got when he thought Emmett could be a competition to him, and a smile breaks out on my face.

 

“Aha! Having a light-bulb moment, are we?” he asks after noticing the telltale smile on my face.

 

I stay silent for a moment longer, trying to delay the inevitable.

 

The sound of clicking heels announces Alice’s arrival before we can see her face. She comes to stand in between the two of us and gives me an encouraging nod. “Just tell him, Bella,” she says to me. “You know he’ll be like a dog with a bone until you give the secret up.”

 

I pull a face, knowing that a persistent Emmett is one step away from over-protective big brother Emmett. “And when he finds out the secret, he’s like a bear with a honey jar,” I tell her.

 

Alice bursts out into a full belly-laughter, setting first me and then Emmett off as well.

 

When we’ve both calmed down, Emmett reaches over to ruffle my hair a little, and I dodge his paw-like hand expertly. He sounds genuinely mortified when he asks me, “Am I really that bad?”

 

“Yes,” we both reply in unison.

 

He has the decency to act embarrassed as he gives me one of his dimpled-too-cute-to-not-forgive smiles. “What if I promise to not to take it too far this time?”

 

“Are you even capable of doing that?” I ask while looking at him through narrowed eyes.

 

He crosses his heart and says, “I can always try.”

 

Figuring that it’s a losing battle anyway, I tell him who Edward is, glossing over the “Pussy-lover” part and focusing on how adorable he is.

 

When I’m finished, he asks thoughtfully, “So when are you bringing this ‘Pretty on the gritty’ boy of yours to meet the family?”

 

I know that the logical thing would’ve been to tell him that it was just beginning and we weren’t there yet, but of course, my mind zeros in on something else entirely.

 

“ _Pretty on the gritty?_ ” I repeat. “What the fuck does that even mean?”

 

He shrugs. “You know how people say ‘sex on a stick’?”

 

I nod with confusion, not liking where this seems to be headed.

 

“I can’t call him _that_ now, can I?” he asks me as if I’m a toddler who has no clue that two and two make four. “So I designed my own version of it.”

 

“But why gritty?” Alice asks the question that’s been on the tip of my tongue.

 

He winks and explains as if he’s Archi-fucking-Medes having his eureka-moment. “Girtty means rough. So ‘Pretty on the gritty’ means he’s roughly pretty.”

 

With that, he starts walking away from us before stopping in mid-stride and looking back at me. “Bells, I look forward to meeting your _gritty_ boy soon.”

 

Alice and I watch him walk away before Alice finally asks, “Will we still be friends after all this is over?”

 

I reply, “If he and my dad behave themselves, we will be.”

 

As soon as I speak the words, I know that they’re very true because in the short few days I’ve come to know Edward Cullen, he’s started to become very important to me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A short one, I know, but I’m typing this one with my eyes half-closed. I probably need to sleep, but I just couldn’t leave you guys without something to read.
> 
> So please ignore any typos you find in this one and share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you on Tuesday.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	27. Chapter-27: Vacuum

** Chapter-27: Vacuum **

**Word Prompt:** Vacuum

 A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

“Yo, DickWard, you seem to be in a good mood.”

 

I turn around at the sound of the familiar voice and immediately feel my face stretch into a wide-ass grin. “AssPer!” I call out loudly, my voice echoing a little in the underground parking lot of my home.

 

My best friend grins back at me as he moves away from the pillar he’s been leaning against and starts to make his way to me. When he’s at arm’s length, he raises a hand, and punches my arm.

 

“Dude! What the fuck?” I complain in a very non-CEO Cullen voice. “I thought you’d pull me in for hugs and kisses!” My sarcasm is at its all-time high at the sight of him.

 

He snorts. “As if! Have you seen your face? Sharp and sexy, that’s my type, Cullen … not asswipes.”

 

“Douche,” I retort quickly, rejoining our game of tug-of-insults … it’s a guy thing for us. “When did you come back?”

 

He pretends to punch me again before letting his hand fall. “That’s what the punch was for, you ass. You didn’t come to pick me up.”

 

I raise an eyebrow at him and exclaim in a shocked voice, “You thought I was gonna ‘pick you up’? Sorry to burst your bubble, J, but I don’t pick up guys. That’s not really my style.”

 

He shoves on my shoulder lightly, calling me a dick.

 

I stop my laughter and say sincerely, “I’m sorry, dude. I uh … got caught up in a previous engagement.”

 

“Previous engagement?” he repeats in a teasing manner. “You didn’t ditch me for a booty call, did you, Ed?”

 

I quickly shake my head because a sort-of-but-not-really lunch date with Bella is anything _but_ a booty call. “I had a lunch meeting,” I tell him, motioning him to follow me as I lead the way to the elevator that will take us to my penthouse.

 

“Lunch _meeting_?” he prods again. “ _You_ arranged to _work_ during lunch time? What happened to ‘lunch time is only for steak’?”

 

“Well … you know …” I trail off, looking for a good enough reason to stop talking about this.

 

The elevator arrives, and I’m about to get on it when he grabs my shoulder and makes me stop. “Jasper, what the …?”

 

Before I can finish that thought, he’s poking on my arms and looking at me like I’m an alien. Then he opens his mouth, and I realize that that’s exactly what he’s thinking.

 

“You’re a body-snatcher, aren’t you?” he asks me, narrowing his eyes. “You came here in a spaceship and created some vacuum-like shit to pull my buddy into your crazy alien machine and now you’re here in his place.”

 

“Shut the fuck up, J,” I say loudly to stop his babbling. “I’m Edward … the human one.”

 

“But …”

 

I hold my hand up to shut him up and say, “I admit that I might have been a little interested in lunch time while growing up, but times have changed.”

 

“A _little_ interested?” he repeats me with wide eyes. “I can’t remember you skipping lunch _once_ from high school through college.”

 

I finally give up and spill the beans. “It’s a girl, okay? I had lunch with a girl.”

 

Immediately, he is all white-ass toothy grins as he says, “Really now? A girl? That’s interesting. Is she pretty?”

 

“Pretty doesn’t even begin to cut it, man,” I reply honestly. “She’s downright perfect. You’ll see when you meet her.”

 

There’s surprise on his face as he asks, “You’re already at the ‘meeting friends’ stage?”

 

“No,” I say with a shake of my head. “But I know that I want us to be.”

 

Before I can get sucked into one of my many Bella-induced fantasies, I push the elevator button. “Come on, let’s get you settled in. You can rest up tonight because, tomorrow, we’re gonna go out for drinks.”

 

“Hell yeah!” He hi-fives me. “We’re gonna get stink-ass drunk tomorrow.”

_Amen to that, buddy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Now onto the important stuff: I’M GOING ON A WORK TRIP TONIGHT. SO THERE WILL BE NO UPDATES UNTIL THE COMING SATURDAY.
> 
> I know it sucks, but I promise when I get back, the wait will be worth it.
> 
> See you on Saturday.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	28. Chapter-28: Canal

** Chapter-28: Canal ** ****

**Word Prompt:** Canal

 **Dialogue Flex:** "I'm fed up with everything."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

****

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

I used to think that at the age of 27, binge drinking with my best friends isn’t that big of a deal. I thought I was right … until tonight.

The night out with Jasper and Ben started great. We were three buddies having a fuckawesome time … until Jasper suggested we go to a small hole-in-the-wall type pub for binge drinking, and I, being the dumbest fucker on the planet, agreed.

****

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

“Nothing’s gonna work, man,” Jasper laments in his whiniest voice. “I’m fed up with everything. I’m gonna die alone.”

Being the emotional drunk he is, Ben reaches over me to pat Jasper on the head as if he was patting a dog. “It’ll get better, man,” he almost croons to him. “Everything will get better, I promise.”

I move my head away from the firing line to avoid spittoons flying off Ben’s mouth landing on my extremely pretty face.

A foolish grin stretches on my lips as I think of my face as _pretty_. _Bella calls me pretty. I miss Bella._

To say that we are very drunk will be a big ass understatement.

Jasper punches my shoulder pretty hard and scowls at me.

“Dude! Quit throwing punches at me,” I complain loudly.

His face remains unimpressed by my _very impressive_ impersonation of his whiny ass as he tells me, “I’m in a crisis here, Ed. So be a good best friend and stop smiling like you’re auditioning for a fucking toothpaste commercial.”

I can’t believe he could talk to me like that. So in retaliation, I do what any self-respecting grown man would’ve done—I stick my tongue out and blow a raspberry at him.

“You got dumped by Maria ‘the bitch’ Sanchez for the fourth fucking time, you ass. I think it’s time you looked into other options,” I say solemnly.

Jasper tries to glare at me, but ends up crossing his eyes. “I’ve two things to tell you. First, don’t take that bitch’s name in front of me. I’m finished with her,” he declares and then lets out a loud burp.

I exchange a hopeless look with Ben and wait patiently for Jasper to continue, but he just stares at the Strawberry Daiquiri in his hand. Oh yeah, in case you didn’t know, depressed drunk Jasper prefers girly cocktails.

When he doesn’t speak, Ben pipes up, “And the second?”

Jasper turns his glazed up eyes on us and asks back, looking completely clueless, “Second what?”

“You were talking about Maria,” I prompt him helpfully.

Apparently, he doesn’t know jack about appreciating helpful friends because the asshole tries to punch me _again_.

Lucky for me, I have the reflexes of a ninja. So, I duck out of the way of his mitts just in time for that fist to connect with Ben’s jaw instead.

“J, what the fuck, bro?” Ben looks at Jasper like he has just told him that he’s gone gay and he’ll take any dick except Ben’s in his ass. “I thought you loved me!”

__

_ Emotional asshole. _

An untimely and little bit unmanly giggle escapes me when I repeat what my highly intellectual mind has just conjured up.

“Yeah, Jasper, tell Benny Bean that you love his dick!”

The scorching looks my friends throw in my way tell me that maybe I spoke out loud.

__

_ Oopps. _

Ben tries to glare at me through his bespectacled eyes and ends up squinting instead. “Did you just talk about my dick?”

“Yep,” I reply with an affirmative nod. “Little Benny Bean Ben.”

Without another word, Ben throws a punch at me and ends up punching his own face—how? I don’t even know.

__

_ Fuck! That’s gotta hurt! _

He topples over from his stool and then lands ass-first on the floor. He sits up looking a little dazed. And then his eyes land on me. “You punched me!”

“No, you punched yourself,” I clarify.

“Yeah, I saw it happen,” Jasper tries to vouch for my innocence. And that’s the moment when Ben scrambles up on his feet and launches his skinny ass body at the two of us.

“You two hate me! Why? Why do you hate me?” he keeps on saying while trying to aim a fist at Jasper and poke me in the eye with his elbow.

That’s when we hear a gruff voice.

“Break it up, kids. You don’t want to get hurt.”

I push Ben’s elbow from my line of vision and look at the guy standing over our tangled limbs. He looks like he’s about my father’s age with a full-on handlebar mustache going on.

In my drunken eyes, he looks like a giant. So, I let my mouth fly again. “Hey! You look like Hulk Hogan, the wrestler, I mean. You know the one with that stupid mustache?”

His smile falls, and to me, he looks like a bull ready to charge me with its horns raised. “Did you just call my mustache ‘stupid’, boy?”

Now the intelligent thing to do in this situation would’ve been to shake my head, lie and then probably vomit—just to get sympathy from the old man.

But the inebriated mind is anything but dishonest. So, I grin up at him, stand up and say sweetly, “Yes, sir. That would be correct.”

And then I puke my guts out … on The Hulk Hogan of Seattle’s clean and pressed plaid shirt.

“Boy! I feel like a perched canal,” I tell him after wiping my mouth on his shirt tail. “Maybe I need another drink.”

He looks like he would’ve loved nothing more than to shoot my brains out as he says through gritted teeth, “You better run, sunshine. Now!”

“Why? The party’s just …”

“Ended,” Jasper finishes for me and grabs the back of my head while tugging Ben up with his other hand. “We’re gone,” he tells Hulk Hogan and then pulls us out of the bar. ****

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

****

****

“Fuck! I gotta pee,” Ben complains when the chilly night air hits us.

For once, I agree with him. “Me too,” I say before pointing out to a car parked ahead of us. “Hey, Benny, let’s go pee behind that car. There’s no plant to water around here anyway.”

He nods, and we pull Jasper with us. When we reach the car, we stand in a single line and spray the back with our own version of yellow rain.

I crack up at the thought. _Yellow rain. I’m a fucking riot tonight._

“What the hell are you doing to my car?” We hear the gruff voice of the Hogan Wannabe holler from behind us.

So we do what any smart guy would do. We pull up our pants and then run the fuck away from there.

****

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

****

****

The next day, I realize that Drunk Edward is the King of Stupid Fucktards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yeah, I might have been a wrestling fan while growing up. ;)
> 
> Anyway, thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> I missed you guys a lot. :*
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	29. Chapter-29: Upbeat, Upstart, Upstairs

** Chapter-29: Upbeat, Upstart, Upstairs **

**Word Prompts:**  Upbeat, upstart, upstairs

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

“Emmett, you know I love you, don’t you, kid?” my dad asks loudly over the upbeat music my doof of a cousin has playing.

 

“Of course, Uncle Charlie,” Em replies with a grin. Short of batting his eyelashes and drawing an imaginary halo on top of his head, he acts like he’s an angel around my parents.

 

“Good,” dad says with satisfaction before leaning close to Emmett’s ear and yelling at the top of his lungs, “Then shut that ridiculous jumble of noise you call music down. It’s getting on my nerves.”

 

The yell catches Em off guard and he almost topples over from his lounge chair in his haste to shut the rap song he has on repeat.

 

I cannot help the snort that escapes me at the sight, making my dad turn his angry eyes on me.

 

“What’s happening to the youth of your generation?” he asks, sounding rhetorical.

 

I raise an eyebrow at him and ask back, “What happened, dad? Did mom pour a glass of water on you to wake you up this morning? Or did a bird do its business on your head while you were taking your morning stroll?”

 

My words are meant to be a tease and nothing more. So when instead of grumbling at my smartass comments like usual, dad’s face turns red and he starts to mutter under his breath, Em and I let out a collective gasp.

 

“No! Aunt Reneé poured water on you to wake you up?” Trust Emmett to overreact and be the drama queen.

 

Dad presses his lips together and just shakes his head.

 

I hazard a guess this time. “A bird pooped on you this morning?” I’m honestly not a bad egg, but the imagery of my dad’s hair and his beloved handlebar sprinkled with bird poop is too funny for me to keep quiet.

 

A choking sound comes out of me which makes Em look at me, and then we’re both laughing and snorting like two idiots.

 

Dad glares at the two of us before letting out a long sigh. “It wasn’t bird poop,” he says.

 

“Then what was it?”

 

“Urine … _human_ urine.”

 

His answer makes me gag and I’m out of my seat and as far away from his as the living room permits in a flash. “Eww. Daddy, how did you get human urine on you?”

 

He opens his mouth to answer, but Emmett, ever the knowledgeable, steps in. “Ooohh. I know. Maybe Aunt Reneé peed in her sleep and you slipped on the pee?”

 

My mom takes that minute to enter the living room and throws a scandalized look at him. “Emmett McCarty, what did you just say?”

 

“Shit, Aunt Reneé, I was just taking a guess. Bed wetting at your age isn’t that uncommon …” He trails off when he sees me make throat slashing movements to tell him to cut it off. He offers mom a sheepish smile before asking, “You didn’t pee in your sleep, did you?”

 

“No! How could you even think that? I’m very disappointed in you, young man,” she scolds him. “I’ll be having a conversation with Ginny tonight about your _guessing_ expertise. And no cookies for you today.”

 

His face pales at the thought of no cookies and his mom finding out about his guess, and he promptly starts groveling. “Aunt Reneé, I’m so sorry. You know I’m an upstart guy, don’t you?”

 

Watching him feels like watching a train wreck. I know that mom is barely holding on to the urge to whack him upside the head for the comment he made already, and now this?

 

Fortunately for him, dad decides to interfere. “Son? You do know that upstart applies to things like situations or inanimate objects, don’t you?”

 

Em stops his blabbing and then nods excitedly. “Yes! Exactly! I really don’t know what I’m talking about, Aunt Reneé. So please forgive me?” He gives her his famous dimpled-smile.

 

Mom pretends to give him a stern look before breaking into a smile. “How can I ever stay mad at my favorite nephew?”

_Oh my God! This is so unfair!_

 

I decide to protest this manipulation and exclaim, “Mom, he’s your _only_ nephew. Besides he called you a bed-wetter. How can you forgive him so easily?”

 

“Oh hush, Bella!” mom tells me. “He’s just a little naïve.”

 

Dad must notice my rebellious look because he quickly tries to deflect the situation from turning into a pouting competition between Emmett and me—by revealing the truth about the pee incident.

 

“Three drunks peed on my car.”

 

There’s silence in the room for a heartbeat before Emmett asks, “What? Were you inside the car at that time?”

 

Dad rolls his eyes at him in response to his dumb question and continues on with his sordid tale. “I went to Waylon’s Bar last night to check up on the old man. There, I saw three kids—or big babies, if you’ll prefer—break into a fight.”

 

“You got into a bar fight?” I ask with wide eyes, not believing that my good old almost-retired dad would get dragged into bar fights at his age. But why else will the guys pee on his car?

 

“No! I tried to stop those idiots,” he answers.

 

“Then the pee?”

 

He sighs. “That’s where the disrespectful behavior comes in. One of the idiots called me stupid and then puked on me, and after I’d told them to beat it, I came out of the bar in time to see them peeing on my car.”

 

I narrow my eyes, wondering who the fuck had the balls to call my dad stupid. I know he’s a little stupid at times, but he’s _my_ dad. No one gets to call him stupid. “He called you stupid?” I ask in a deceptively calm voice.

 

He remains silent for a moment before giving up the gem of the story. “He called my mustache stupid.”

 

“Oh God!” Mom shakes her head at him. “Honey, you need to lose the handlebar. You can keep the mustache, but not the handlebars.”

 

That makes him shake his head vehemently. “No! Ren, those three didn’t seem like the sharpest tools in the shade. I mean, the one who called my mustache stupid definitely seemed to be lacking a bit in the upstairs department,” he says, pointing at his temple.

 

Emmett, being the dumbass he is, lets out a whoop and holds his hand out to hi-five dad. “Yeah, Uncle Charlie! Your handlebar rocks!”

_I hope for his sake that he’s doing this for the cookies because otherwise, I’ll be worried for the sanity of my dear cousin as well._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So now you know who the Hulk Hogan is. ;)
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review, please?
> 
> This one has been one long chapter. And because I love you guys, there’s gonna be an update tomorrow as well. :D
> 
> And tomorrow, we get PLPB and Mystery Girl back together. ;)
> 
> See you tomorrow then.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	30. Chapter-30: Insolent

** Chapter-30: Insolent **

**Word Prompt:** Insolent

 **Audio-Visual Challenge—Musical Mastery:** "Breathe" by Ryan Star

Listen to the sample, then write whatever comes to you first.

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

Jasper listens to my side of the story—what little I can remember of the night before—in silence and then lets out a groan. “Man! I don’t remember every little detail, but I’m sure we acted like insolent pricks last night when we peed on the poor man’s car,” he says.

“Poor man?” I scoff. “Jas, he was like Hulk-fucking-Hogan. I may not remember much, but I remember the handlebar mustache.”

He remains quiet, and I feel guilty about what we did. So I ask, “Do you think we should go and apologize to him?”

“Sure. That’s a conversation I’m looking forward to,” he replies, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Hi, sir, we’re sorry for peeing on your car because we’re three assholes who have bladders the size of teaspoons.”

“You really are an asshole,” I tell him. “I was just being rational.”

He snorts into the phone. “Rational? Fine, Mr. Rational DickWard, tell me, how do you intend to find him in the first place to apologize? You wanna put an advertisement in the newspaper? I can see the words right now: **Address Wanted- three drunk men require the address of a old man who has a handlebar mustache in order to ask him for forgiveness for showering his lovely vehicle with urine.** ”

“I hate you,” I say.

“Cry me a river, Cullen,” he responds. “Now forget about the old dude and start thinking of ways for charming the pants off your girl tonight.”

That promptly shoots the Hulk Hogan Wannabe out of my mind, and for the rest of the day, all I can think about is Bella.

_ Jasper called her my girl. I want her to be my girl too. _

****

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

When my head stops hurting like someone is trying to drive a fucking sledgehammer through it, I locate my cell phone and send a text message to my Bella.

****

** Good morning, beautiful girl. How are you this morning? ~Edward **

My phone chimes with her response when I’m in the middle of shoveling food into my mouth to get rid of the dry-mouth symptom of hangover.

**__ **

**_ Oh, Pretty Boy, your words are very flattering. I’m actually looking forward for the day to end so that a charming man can take me to dinner. ~Bella. _ **

A ridiculous grin sneaks up on my face as I read her response.

****

** Shall I pick you up from your place then? ~Edward **

After hitting send, I realize that I have no idea where she lives. I didn’t have the foresight to ask for her address yesterday.

__

_ Stupid, Ed! _ I curse myself for my lack of foresight.

Without knowing what I’m doing, I text her again.

****

** I didn’t want to come across as the stalker sort. I just want to take care of you, baby. ~Edward. **

****

I wait for a whole minute, but the phone remains silent. It’s only when I got to get out of my seat to put the dishes into the dishwasher, my phone starts to ring.

Her name flashes on the screen.

__

_ Shit! I didn’t scare her, did I? _

Taking the call, I wait for her to speak, and she does. “Edward?” Her voice is a soft whisper, different from the strong and confident girl I’ve come to know.

Immediately, my apprehension gives way to concern for this extraordinary girl. “Bella, what is it?”

She speaks in that soft whisper as she asks, “Will it be ok if I meet you there instead?”

A frown pulls my eyebrows upward. “Is it something to do with your work?” I ask before adding, “Or do you not trust me to keep my word?”

Yeah, I can be insecure at times.

What she says is something I don’t expect. “I … uh … I want to trust you, Edward. Honestly, I do.”

When she doesn’t elaborate, I prompt her, “I think I can sense a ‘ _but_ ’ coming there somewhere.”

The sound of her laughter is a little strained as she tells me, “But the truth is, I’ve never had anyone take care of me before. I mean someone who isn’t family, you know?”

“And?”

“And it freaked me out a little when you said you want to take care of me,” she confesses.

And in that moment, I long to be able to wrap this girl up in my arms and never let go because she deserves to be cared for … always.

I try to calm her down with my voice as I say, “Bella, baby, it was just a suggestion. If you want to drive yourself, that’s fine. I’m just happy that you gave me a chance.”

She sounds relived when she responds with a soft ‘ok’ before hanging up.

Reflecting on what I know of Bella Swan so far, I come to a few conclusions. First, Bella was a very strong-willed woman. She was probably the most responsible one in her family.

Second, she must think that she has to do everything alone … as if there’s no one to shoulder her responsibilities.

And third, I am going to make her understand that she didn’t have to shoulder the weight of the world alone anymore. Because a part of me craves to be able to take care of her … a very strong part of me.

__

_ Fuck! Is this the rabbit hole? _


	31. Chapter-31: Shred

** Chapter-31: Shred **

** **

**Word Prompt:** Shred

 **Plot Generator—Phrase Catch:** A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

“You told him ‘no’?” Alice asks me for the second time.

I take a sip of my soda to allow myself a few more seconds to think before answering her. “Yes.”

“Bell,” she calls my name softly, telling me that she understands where I’m coming from without words, but she disagrees. “You can’t let that jackass rule your life.”

“Alice …” I start, but she holds her hand up to stop me.

“Let me finish, please?”

When I nod, she continues. “Bell, I know you’ve been gun-shy about relationships after what that jerk put you through, but you need to realize something.”

I raise an eyebrow, asking her silently to elaborate—which she does. “Not everyone is like him. Edward might not be anything like that douche bag. The guy seems to like you.”

“I like him too,” I whisper as I clutch the pillow to my chest—a little part of my heart wishing it was Edward I was hugging and not the damn pillow. “I was an insensitive bitch today, wasn’t I?”

She shakes her head. “No, you weren’t. You didn’t cancel on him, Bell. You just said that you’ll meet him at the restaurant instead of have him pick you up from home. Don’t make Edward pay for what that asshole did.”

My mind goes to the bright smile Edward had given me the day before when we parted, reminding me sweetly about our date. _He’s such a sweet man!_

“You’re right. He might not be like Jacob,” I finally concede.

Alice nods, popping a bite-size brownie in her mouth. “He asked you out even when he was thinking that you might be involved with a mob. If that doesn’t tell you how different he is from that ass, I don’t know what will.”

__

_ Yes, Edward is a brave man … and he’s so very pretty. _

I’m brought out of my daydreams of Pretty Boy by the sound of Alice’s voice. “Besides, he goes into gay bars, for crying out loud! He’s practically perfect.”

Narrowing my eyes at her, I ask, “And a guy who goes into gay bars is perfect in your eyes, why?”

“Because he’s secure in his masculinity,” she responds.

I don’t tell her that I just wanted to take baby-steps after Jacob tried to shred my life into pieces. I don’t have to because she already knows that.

Without another word, she pulls me into a hug and then says in my ear, “I hope he makes you happy, Bell. I’ve seen you smile and laugh more than usual on the last few days and I’m not ready to stop seeing that.”

“I like laughing,” I confide in her. “He makes me laugh.”

Tightening my arms around her, I add, “Thanks, Alice, for being there for me whenever I need you. You’re such a great friend.”

She scoffs. “Great? Oh please! I’m the best friend you’ve got.”

I don’t even try to contradict her. I simply smile and hug her tighter. “You really are.”


	32. Chapter-32: Claw

** Chapter-32: Claw **

 

**Word Prompt:** Claw

 A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

Taking a deep breath, I try to resist the urge to look at my watch again, and surprisingly I succeed—for a total of forty long seconds.

_Fuck!_ We said that we’d meet at eight, and it’s a hundred and forty five seconds till eight and Bella is still a no show.

 

Before I can work myself into a frenzy, I hear the sound of a car pulling over next t mine. I turn my head to the side and look.

 

And then I see her. She smiles at me through the car windows that separate us before reaching down to unbuckle her seatbelt. My mind jumpstarts at that, and I’m out of my car and opening her door for her in just under ten seconds flat.

 

Her eyes dance with mirth as she looks into mine. “Wow! That was fast, Pretty Boy. You’re not a vampire or anything are you?” she asks, getting out of the car,

_Damn! Way to seem overeager, Cullen!_ I curse myself as I close her door behind her. “You look beautiful, Bella,” I tell her.

 

Not because I want to get into her pants, but because she really is beautiful. Her midnight blue dress reaches just above her knees, showing me those perfectly shaped legs of hers. The way the neckline of the dress curves around her neck, it makes me want to kiss her neck all fucking day.

 

She moves forward, disrupting my shameless ogling of her momentarily as she gives me a hug. “You look quite the handsome gentleman yourself, Pretty Boy,” she whispers to me.

 

The moment our bodies touch, I feel it—the little thorns from the fucking rosebuds poking my stomach—where I had kept them hidden under my jacket.

 

_Not one of my best ideas, it seems._

 

I quickly pull the flowers out of my inner pocket and hold them out to her. “Beautiful flowers for a beautiful girl,” I say.

_Yes, I’m the epitome of cheesy. Sue me._

 

She giggles as she accepts the flowers, bringing them close to her face. “They’re really pretty. Thank you,” she says before kissing my cheek and starting to make her way into the restaurant.

 

As I watch her walk by, the sway of her hips hypnotize me, and I wonder if I would have to claw some asshole’s eyes out today if he even looks at my girl wrong.

 

But then I remember that my girl is a FBI agent who can kick some major asses if anyone so much as looks at her wrong.

 

So maybe I won’t have to claw anyone’s eyes out, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t want to.

_What are you doing to be, Bella Swan?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me, please.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	33. Chapter-33: Foolproof

** Chapter-33: Foolproof **

** **

** **

** **

**Word Prompt:** Foolproof

 **Dialogue Flex:** "We need a little more practice."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

As we walk side by side, I see his hand reach toward mine a few times, but in the end, he settles for letting it hover over the small of my back.

When the hostess leads us to our table though, I’m in awe of this man. No, he doesn’t fall down on his knees and ask me to marry him, because, that would’ve freaked me the hell out.

No, what he does is much sweeter.

He pulls out my chair for me and waits till I’m seated before walking around to take a seat across from me.

__

_ Now that’s how a gentleman should act. _

I let out a small sigh as I look at the sweet and extremely handsome man sitting across from me.

He looks right back at me and raises an eyebrow in question. “You’re not regretting this are you?” he asks, sounding a little worried.

“What? No, of course not. What would make you think that?” I ask back in shock.

He doesn’t look into my eyes as he shrugs. “I just thought you sounded a little less … I don’t know.” 

Fuck! I made him think I was second-guessing this date.

“Edward?” I call his name and wait for him to look at me. Then I continue, “I’m thrilled to be here with you. You hear me? I’d wanted to go out with you since the night we met.”

“But …” He frowns and then stops, letting that one word hang between us.

“Hey.” I reach over to place my hand on his before saying, “I just have a bad experience about dating. That’s it. It had nothing to do with you, and I’m glad I took a chance on you tonight.”

I see the question behind his eyes, but then, he proves just how amazing he is and nods. “Okay. I’m glad you took a chance on me too.”

Our conversation is interrupted when the waiter for the night shows up to take our order, and when he leaves, Edward is the first one to speak. “I saw you before that night though.”

Now it’s my turn to be confused. “Where?” I ask, trying to remember if he had seen me stare at him at the café before that night.

“The café,” he answers. “The first time I saw you, you were blocking the entrance and smiling up at the sun. I remember seeing the awestruck look on your face at you looked up at the sky and thinking that you were the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

I feel my cheeks heat up at his words and bite my lip, looking for something to say. “Yeah, the sky was really pretty that day.”

__

_ Yep, I’m awkward extraordinaire when it comes to this man! _

He doesn’t look at me like I’m crazy though. Instead, he flips over his hand, entwining our fingers together before replying. “I know. You made me notice.”

And cue the blush.

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

Our dinner goes smoothly and after the initial awkwardness of this different setting melts away, we’re talking and smiling like two people who are getting to know each other.

It’s comfortable and exciting at the same time.

I wanna know everything about him … and not from pulling his criminal records like Alice used to do before deciding whether to date a man or not.

“So what about you?” I ask, after popping the last piece of my pasta in my mouth. “If your best friend goes to gay bars to pick up women who work there as bartenders, what do you do? What’s your foolproof plan to pick up girls?”

He takes a sip of his wine and grins at me. “I’m too pretty to even need a plan, baby.”

His smile makes me smile and I nod, looking right at him. “I can’t say that I disagree with you, Pretty Boy.”

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

When we get out of the restaurant, he hesitates for just a moment before nudging my pinky finger with his. I, being the perpetually impatient one, take his hand and give it a squeeze.

The smile he rewards me with in respond is so fucking beautiful.

He whispers to me that he doesn’t want the date to end, and I agree. So he takes me to get milkshakes from a place across the street.

Yes, it’s not a sophisticated dessert choice, but it’s very _us_ anyway. I love the idea.

When he walks me back to my car, he rubs the pulse point on the inside of my wrist with his thumb and says softly, “I hope you had fun tonight.”

“I did, thank you,” I reply to him. “But I think we need a little more practice.”

He looks confused by my remark, and I try to explain, “A little more practice on dating, I mean.”

“Dating?” His face pales a little. “You want to go on more dates?”

“Yeah …” I answer slowly, not seeing why he sounded so worried.

“With … me?”

His question makes me smile and I nod, putting my arms around his neck. “Yes, you adorably handsome man, with you.”

The worry in his eyes gets replaced by a look of something much hotter as he puts a hand on my face and asks me a question I’ve never been asked in my life before. “May I kiss you, beautiful Bella?”

“You’re the first one to have ever asked,” I tell him before taking a step closer to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	34. Chapter-34: Century

** Chapter-34: Century **

**Word Prompt:** Century

 **Plot Generator—Idea Completion:** That's the way the cookie crumbles.

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

She takes a step closer to me, letting her smell wash over me. I try to be the gentleman my mom taught me to be and place a hand on her cheek, stroking lightly and reveling in the warmth of her skin against mine.

And then it occurs to me just where we are standing.

In a parking lot outside a restaurant.

__

_ Not good enough, Cullen, _  I chastise myself as I step away from her, letting my hand fall from her face.

She raises her eyes to look at me, and I see so many emotions in there … shock, questions and worst of all, hurt.

__

_ Fuck! Am I the one to put it there? _

“Bella, will you come with me?” I ask, desperately trying to put on a calm face for her while inside, I’m screaming at myself for hurting her feelings.

She doesn’t ask me where, instead, she places her hand in mine and looks into my eyes.

I close my hand around hers, holding her to me like she’s my anchor to reality. We walk toward the lake that lines the restaurant, and when we reach the side of it, I stop.

She sneaks a look at me before looking back at the water, her hand still clutched in mine.

“Bella?”

She tilts her head a little to the side, looking at me, yet not meeting my eyes. I reach out to move a lock of hair from her face and let my fingers stroke her cheek. “Hey.”

I see her close her eyes as the back of my fingers nudge her chin, and then she looks at me. “What happened?”

Like the dork I am, I reply, “I realized where we were.”

“And?”

“And I didn’t want our first kiss to be in an empty parking lot.”

The corners of her mouth twitch a little as she asks again, “Why are we here?”

“Because I couldn’t let you go without kissing you tonight.”

She lifts her face to mine, putting those pink and very enticing lips in my line of vision.

“You’re so beautiful,” I whisper as I hold her face in between my hands.

“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,” she whispers back, letting our lips barely brush against each other.

I keep my eyes locked on hers as I close the little gap between us and brush her lips with mine.

Heaven. That’s what kissing Bella feels like. My eyes close on their own accord as I feel her kiss me back.

Our lips meet in shy strokes at first, and then she runs her tongue over my lips and it feels like a fire has been lit inside me.

I let my hands slide down from her face and wrap them around her waist while her hands grasp the lapels of my jacket and hold me close to her.

Closed lips open and our tongues greet each other for the first time, and I feel like I’ve been waiting for a century for this woman.

This woman who makes me feel …  _alive_.

When I start to feel light-headed from the lack of air in my lungs, I break our kiss. But the urge to taste her skin is too great to overcome, and my lips go back to her. They run along the line of her chin before sliding down the graceful column of her neck and then, they come back to meet her lips once again.

She lets out a soft moan as ours lips come together again and allows her teeth to graze my lower lip, pulling it into her mouth.

__

_ Fuck! She’s so sexy. _

As our lips part this time, I hold back from going back to her. “Baby, we need to slow down,” I tell her while trying to get as much oxygen as I can into my lungs.

“Why?” she asks, letting her fingers play with the hair at the back of my head. She tugs at them, making me almost lose control. Almost.

“I need to do this the right way. You’re far too important to me to rush into things and lose focus on what’s more important,” I say.

“What’s more important?” Her voice is low, and it goes straight to my dick.

“You. Us. Whatever this is between us, it’s important to me,” I tell her.

Her eyes almost burn into mine as she moves forward to place a kiss on my lips again. “You’re so much more than I expected,” she says. “More in a good way … a sexy kind of way.”

I feel my dick getting ready to salute her when she says the last bit, and in an attempt to calm myself down, I try to think of anything but sexy thoughts about this amazing woman in my arms.

And that’s when my verbal diarrhea comes back to bite me in the ass.

“I think my sister’s dating a drag.”

__

_ Fuck! Cullen, what did you say that for? _

She blinks at my confession and says, “I’m not a drag, if that was your way of asking me.”

“Shit! Sorry,” I apologize, wishing I was more flexible so that I could kick my own damn ass. “I don’t know where that came from. You’re a woman, I know that … a very beautiful and 100% real life woman. I was just trying to get my dick to calm down … shit!”

__

_ Shut the fuck up now, Cullen! _

I clamp my mouth shut and wait for the well-deserved slap to land on my face. It never comes. Instead, I hear a giggle.

Opening my eyes, I see Bella laugh at me. “You’re so cute when you ramble,” she says.

“I ruined our night, didn’t I?” I ask, feeling horrible. “I guess that’s the way the cookie crumbles for losers like me.”

She shakes her head and rises on her tiptoes to kiss my nose. “No, you didn’t. You took me on a perfect date. You kissed me, making me feel adored for the first time in … well, ever. And then you confessed to have a problem down there to need to calm down because of me. I think it makes you many things, Edward, but  _not_  a loser.”

“I’m still feeling like an idiot, Bella.”

There’s a teasing smile on her face as she takes my hand in hers and places a kiss on my palm before saying, “You maybe an idiot at times, but I like that you’re being an idiot for me.”

“Did you just call me  _your_  idiot?” I ask, grinning like a fool.

 She matches my grin and nods. “That sounds about right.”

 

And then I’m smiling because if I’m being her idiot then maybe … just maybe … she wants to be  _my_  Bella.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	35. Chapter-35: Prank, Blank, Crank

** Chapter-35: Prank, Blank, Crank **

**Word Prompts:**  Prank, blank, crank

 

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

 

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

 

Waking up in the morning, I’m greeted with a text message waiting for me from him.

****

** Good morning, my beautiful Bella. Is it crazy that I miss you already? ~Edward **

A smile stretches on my face, almost threatening to split it in two as I respond to him.

****

** Good morning, Pretty Boy. I think I missed you the moment I got into my car and saw you walk away. ~Bella **

I know it sounded so cheesy, but yeah, I really miss that beautiful man of mine.

My smile broadens as I remember the way he kissed me the night before. The sound of an incoming text message brings me out of my reverie, and I look down at my cell phone to see a kissy-face emoticon on his response.

Grinning, I send him one back and add, **I want real kisses when we meet again, just so you know. ~Bella**

His answer makes me blush.

****

** You can count on it, beautiful. ~Edward **

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

“Dad, you need to calm down,” I say into the phone while loading my washing machine with a new load of laundry.

I can hear him grumble under his breath as he settles down in front of the TV for his day off. “Bells, I’m the Chief of Police here. How do you think it reflects on me if I let some rowdy boys play pranks on me and then get away with it?”

I stifle a snort and make a non-committal noise, not feeling like I want my nice morning to turn into an ode to the pee-boys.

Thankfully, he doesn’t get there before there’s a knock on the front door and I say in a rush, “Dad, Em’s here with breakfast. Talk to you later, ok? Love you. Bye.”

He mutters something about growing up with a bottomless black hole and sounding like I’m starving before hanging up.

Finally.

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

“You hooked up,” Alice says from behind me as soon as I open the door to let my cousin in.

Emmett’s face is perfectly blank as he asks, “What’s that now?”

“You hooked up,” she repeats herself, pointing to him. “You have your hook-up face going on.”

He opens his mouth to say something when I hold up a hand to stop them both. “Okay, Alice, Em’s like an honorary brother to you. So it’s kind of gross that you know his hook-up face.” Emmett grins widely at Alice, poking his tongue out for good measure.

Shaking my head at them both, I add, “And Em, if you don’t want us to know about your personal life, you should wipe that grin off your face before coming over.”

He doesn’t even try to deny it as he smiles, showing off his dimples. “I might have cranked the heat up just a little bit with my girl this morning,” he confesses.

“Good for you, big brother. So when are we meeting this girl of yours?” I ask him.

“When you bring that boy of yours home,” he answers without missing a beat.

__

_ My boy. _

Is it normal to feel this happy just to be able to call a guy mine? I don’t know the answer to that, but if Edward was my boy, I didn’t care for normal too much.


	36. Chapter-36: Sunshine

** Chapter-36: Sunshine **

**Word Prompt** : Sunshine

 **Audio-Visual Challenge—Imagined Image** : A library

 View the image and write whatever comes to you.

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

“Good morning, Sunshine.” The sound of her voice makes me look up from the notepad I’ve been frowning at for a while, and I sit up straighter when I see her smile at me from my office door.

__

_ She looks happy for a change. _

I decide not to let my confusion show and instead, I smile back at her. “Hey, sis. How was your weekend?”

Rose steps inside my office and softly closes the door behind her before pulling me to stand up from my chair and hugging me. “I’m free, Ed,” she says—her voice a choked whisper, filled with emotion. “I’m finally free.”

“Free?” Confusion lines my thought for a moment before it dawns on me.

__

_ The restraining order. _

“When was your court hearing?”

She lets go of me and raises a beaming face at me. “This morning. I got it. He can’t come anywhere near me anymore.”

“He was a no-show?” I guess.

Shaking her head, she lets her smile fall. “Oh no! He showed up alright. He had some choice words for me too.” She notices the worried look on my face and offers me a timid smile. “Unfortunately for him, so did I ... for him.”

“How bad was it?” I ask anxiously, wishing that I could’ve been there for her.

She shrugs. “Well, by the time we were through with our Battle of Insults, all the female members of the jury were red-faced. So I think it went pretty good.”

I snort at her description, and then sober up. “Rose, I’m sorry,” I tell her sincerely. “I was a crappy brother. I should’ve been there with you today.”

The smile returns to her face as she says back, “Don’t beat yourself up, Edward. You’ve been a great brother. But you need to live your life too. I can’t keep holding you back with my problems.” When I open my mouth to protest, she silences me with one of her patented Rosalie Cullen bitch brows. She waits till I close my mouth and then continues. “Besides I wasn’t alone. I had a friend with me.”

“Pink feather boa carrying kind of friend?” I can’t help but tease her, her happiness feeling infectious.

An uncharacteristic blush comes over her face as she nods. “Yes. I think he scared Royce into silence today.”

__

_ Really?  _ I wonder to myself. _Royce is a dickwad, but to be scared of a drag? Who fancies prancing around with pink feather boas draped around him? Yeah, that just proves how much of a ratty asshole Royce is once again._

“Oh yeah?”

My remark comes out sounding like a question, and Rose nods enthusiastically. “Yeah. He’s quite big, you see …”

With that, I reach my point of tolerance and exclaim loudly while resisting the urge to stick my fingers in my ears, “Sheesh, Rose, I don’t want to know how … ahem … _gifted_ your _friend_ is.”

I almost say the words “I’m not interested in hearing about the diameters of his boob implants”. Almost. Thankfully, my brain-to-mouth filter works for the time being.

Giving her a hug, I tell my sister, “I’m happy for you, sis. And I support _any_ choice you make.”

She looks startled when I put the extra emphasis on the ‘any choice’ part, but smiles back anyway.

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

I look down at my cell phone to make sure I’m at the correct address once again.

__

_ A library? She asked me to meet her at a library? _

Walking inside, I follow the instructions she had sent me in a text message about twenty minutes ago, and find myself standing at a secluded section at the upper level of the place.

From up here, I can see books upon books adorning the shelves and so many people wandering around in their midst. Sadly, none of them look like they might be her.

“I missed you,” a soft voice whispers very close to my ear.

I whirl around and catch a glimpse of Bella standing in front of me, and then I can’t see her anymore. Because she pushes me against a bookshelf and before I know it, her mouth is on mine, greeting me sweetly.

When she separates our mouths, I hold her in my arms and say, “Hi, beautiful.”

A shy smile comes on her face as she places a soft kiss on my jaw and whispers against my skin, “Hey.”

“Not that I mind the different scenario here, but why the sudden change?” I ask curiously.

She shrugs. “Just thought it’ll be something different,” she replies, trying to act all non-chalant.

“Bella?” I call her name quietly. “What is it, baby?”

She seems to melt in my arms as she hears me call her name. “Promise me you won’t laugh?” she asks back.

Moving her hair away from her face, I hold her face in between my hands. “I promise, my beautiful 

mysterious girl.”

She takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly before saying, “I wanted to tell you why I acted the way I did on Saturday …” Seeing the frown on my face, she clarifies, “When you wanted to come and pick me up for our date.”

“Really?”

Biting her lip, she sighs. “Yes, and since Katarina is a compulsive eavesdropper, I thought we could talk somewhere quiet.”

“Bella, you don’t owe me any explanation …” I start, but she puts a finger on my lips to shut me up.

“I know I don’t. But I want to do this … if we’re going to have anything long-term that is,” she sounds nervous as she finishes.

Without another word, I take her hand and kiss the back of it, silently thanking her for trusting me with her life … past, present … and maybe, just maybe the future?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> Tomorrow is Monday, so I’ll see you on Tuesday, ok?
> 
> To those of you who celebrate Easter, wish you a Happy Easter, and to those of you who don’t, have a good weekend. :)
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	37. Chapter-37: Camouflage

** Chapter-37: Camouflage **

****

**Word Prompt:** Camouflage

 A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

I keep my eyes trained on the book I’ve left open in front of me in case someone wanders up here and take a deep breath. This is going to be one of the hardest things I’ve done, but I need this. I need to let him in to show him that I trust him.

 

“Hey.” The sound of his voice coupled with the feeling of his hand covering mine from across the table finally give me the last push I need to start talking.

 

“I was very shy in high school,” I start. “Painfully so, in fact. I guess you can say that I used to be the typical nerd in school. And my parents tried a lot of things to help me … including finding guys for me to date. I started getting out of my shell and dating a little bit when I moved on to college, but it was nothing extensive … until Jacob.”

 

Edward flips my hand over to hold it in between his hands and then mutters under his breath, “That’s a stupid name.”

 

I smile at his words. “He was a stupid guy,” I respond, making him smile slightly. “It was my dad who introduced us. Jacob Black was one of his deputies and apparently a pretty good guy—according to my dad anyway.”

 

That’s when Edward interrupts me. “Wait, your dad’s a cop?” he looks startled by this information.

 

“Yeah, he’s the Chief of Police in Seattle PD,” I say before continuing with my recollection. “Anyway, Jacob wasn’t that bad when we first met. Of course he never opened doors for me or held out chairs for me,” I add with a grin, making him chuckle lightly. “But it was … nice, being in a relationship, I mean.”

 

“What changed?”

 

I shrug. “I got into the Academy.”

 

He frowns. “What do you mean? What’s your profession got to do with this?”

 

“Everything,” I reply simply, feeling all those old wounds sting a little bit even after a whole year. “When he heard that I was going to be an agent, someone a little higher up on the food chain, he flipped. Turned out, he was hoping to get a promotion if he ever got to put a ring on me.” I roll my eyes at the ridiculous thought.

 

When I take a look at him, there’s a faraway look on his face, and I hate to be the one to put it there. “I’m sorry. If you don’t want to hear this …”

 

He tightens his grip on my hand and shakes his head. “No, Bella, I want to know you … all of you. So continue please.”

 

“You sure you’re okay?”

 

Nodding he replies, “Yeah. So what? He tried to use you to climb up the professional ladder?”

 

“That’s one way to put it,” I say, remembering how pathetic that asshole made me feel then. “He pretended to be interested in me. That was the height of his deceit … a camouflage to hide who he really was ... a selfish prick.”

 

He doesn’t ask me anything except raising an eyebrow in question, and I continue talking. “Things got bad after I got into Narcotics, and then they got really bad when I was promoted to the Organized Crime Division.”

 

“What did he do? Did he hurt you?” Edward’s voice is very quiet as he asks the question through gritted teeth.

 

I quickly shake my head, not wanting to make him think that I’m some damsel in distress because I’m nothing of that sort. “No, he wouldn’t have dared to lay a hand on me. He just used his words to do it.”

 

“What did he do, Bella?” he repeats. “What did he say to you?”

 

“He …” I stop to take a breath before uttering the words that had tormented me for months after that day. “He called me a cheap slut because I was so gullible to let him in my life. And he said I was too immature for him … that I loved my career more than anything. And he said that I’m not marriage material.”

 

When I’m done talking, I wait for him to speak, but it seems like he has been turned into a statue because he doesn’t speak until I can’t take it anymore.

 

“Edward, say something, please,” I request him in a hoarse voice, wondering if I did the right thing by saying all these to him.

_What if he thinks that I’m not even worth dating because of how invested I am in my job?_

 

He tilts his head to the side and looks at me. “What did you tell him when he said those words to you?”

 

His question leaves me feeling baffled, and all I can do is answer with the truth. “I punched him in the face and broke his nose,” I respond, starting to pull my hand out of his.

 

A smile appears on his pretty face as he grabs my hand to stop me. “That’s my girl,” he says, sounding so damn proud. “Bella, listen to me. You’re _not_ a prize to be won for me. No, to me, you’re a treasure to be cherished. You are so much more than what that fuck-face was even capable of comprehending.”  He kisses the back of my hand before continuing. “And you’re immature? No, you’re like a breath of fresh air in a smog-filled environment.”

 

Something makes my heart skip a beat as I hear him speak so passionately about me and then it starts beating faster when he adds, “Don’t even think of what that asshole said to you for one moment, beautiful. I don’t believe those things, and I promise to prove that to you one day.”

 

That’s the moment I get a glimpse of a new side of my sweet pretty boy—his possessive side. And dare I say it? I like it … a lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And that’s the mystery behind our Mystery Girl. ;)
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	38. Chapter- 38: Simple

** Chapter- 38: Simple **

**Word Prompt:** Simple

**Plot Generator—Binding Blurb:**  In 500 words or fewer, write a blurb or a short entry about  **flirting with disaster.**

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

Early morning, I’m at the convenience store to stock up on Captain Crunches because the Dickward I’m staying with at the moment isn’t a big fan of that one.

 

Standing in front of the shelf stacked with cereal boxes is when I hear a voice huff from behind me. “Are you planning to buy anything or just memorize the labels, Straw Hat?”

 

I turn around to see a short and very annoyed-looking woman standing behind me—her arms crossed to express her irritation. She’s also probably the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen ... including Maria. “I’m sorry, Ma’am,” I say with a charming smile, hoping to make her forget about her annoyance. “I didn’t realize that I was blocking your way.”

 

I’m in the middle of giving myself a mental pat on the back for being such a charmer when she glares at me. “Look here, _Straw Hat_ , we’re not in the fucking 20s, and I’m not a _Ma’am_. So cut your crap and move away.”

_What the fuck? Did she call me that because of my hair? Well little miss sunshine, two can play at this game._

 

“Oh! Do you prefer Beer Bottle then?” I ask, coming off like the jerk I’m aiming for. “That would go perfectly with your size.”

_Yeah, If you don’t like the gentleman, you get the asshole._

 

She looks like she’s seriously considering kicking me in the nuts as she snaps, “You should move away, right now.”

 

Maybe I like flirting with disasters, or I’m secretly suicidal, I’m not sure, but suddenly, I find myself asking something you should _never_ ask a girl you meet at a convenience store at the crack of dawn. “Why are you so desperate to go this way?”

 

She seems at a loss for words before saying in an angry tone, “Because I need tampons, damn it. I woke up and found Aunt Flo was at my door. So I’m here.”

 

That’s when I notice that the cereal aisle is just next to the tampon shelves.

_Great! Who was the genius fuckwit to arrange this store anyway?_

 

For the next few seconds, I wrack my brains for something intelligent to say in response … something that allows me to walk away from this situation with some semblance of dignity.

 

“Oh! Sure.” Yes, that’s the brilliant response I can muster before starting to scamper away from her.

_Well, at least that was a simple comeback._

 

However, before I can make my escape, she laughs and calls me. “Hey, Straw?”

 

“Yeah?”

_Fuck! Did I just respond to being called Straw?_

 

As I’m thinking of how to ask Edward to kick my ass for me when I get back home, she smiles at me. “Never cross a woman with PMS again, and maybe you’ll get a second chance at calling her Ma’am.”

 

“Yes, Ma’am,” I reply and flinch, fearing the tongue-lashing I’m about to get.

 

Instead, I’m greeted with a smile again. “The name’s Alice,” she says, and I smile back. “Jasper.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for not updating yesterday. RL happened.
> 
> So today, you’ll get another update. :D
> 
> Share your thoughts on wannabe-badass, Straw Hat and angry-kitten, Beer Bottle with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you in a few hours.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	39. Chapter-39: Praise

** Chapter-39: Praise **

**Word Prompt:** Praise

 **Dialogue Flex:** "Are you usually this stubborn?"

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

The morning after Bella’s revelation about her past relationships, I wake up to the sound of Jasper’s loud as fuck voice. “Ed, dude, you need to wake the hell up, like yesterday.”

 

With extreme difficulty, I crack open an eye to give him half a glower. “What the fuck, Assper? I was sleeping, man,” I tell him as I pick up my phone to see the time. “Shit! It’s barely seven, you fucktard!” I curse him. “Why did you wake me up at this ungodly hour?”

 

A goofy smile appears on his face, making me wonder if he took a baseball to the head to be grinning like that. As if he can hear me think, he shakes his head. “I’m not insane, man. I’ve just found my soul mate.”

 

I roll my eyes at his response.

 

There’s romantic and then there’s clueless asshole. And surprise, surprise! I had to get stuck with the later type as my best friend. “Jazz, we’ll talk later, ok, buddy?” I say, trying to soften the blow. “We’ll talk after I get home from work.”

 

“You’re no fun,” he says with a pout.

 

Yes, Jasper Whitlock, the new cartoonist for The Seattle Times, pouts.

 

Giving up, I say exasperatedly, “Man, I’m not feeling up to listening to you praising the shit that comes out of Maria Sanchez’s asshole right now.”

 

He reaches out to smack the back of my head, making me give up and wake up fully. “It’s not Maria,” he confesses. “I can have soul mates who is not that bitch.”

 

I blink and allow him to tell me all about the Tampon Girl. When he’s done, I forget about my whining and congratulate him, hoping that my best friend doesn’t lose in the game of love once again.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

“You have a little ketchup on your mouth,” Bella says before leaning closer to me. I expect to feel her dab a napkin on my mouth to wipe it off, but instead, I feel her lips on mine—soft and delicious as ever.

 

I groan as she pulls away, and she giggles a little at the sad expression on my face. “You’ve only taken me out on one date, mister,” she tells me, playfully waggling a finger on my face. “Don’t expect me to put out already.”

 

Her words make me pull back in shock. “Baby, you’re so much more to me than that,” I say with complete sincerity.

 

The smile that graces her face is a sweet one. “I know,” she replies, putting an arm across my shoulder and threading her fingers in my hair. “The feeling is mutual, Mr. Cullen.”

 

I can’t help but smile back when she says things like that. And that’s when she says it. “Are you free tonight? We can have a mid-week date tonight.”

 

“That sounds great,” I reply.

 

“Cool,” she says before adding as an afterthought, “I get to decide what we’ll do tonight though.”

 

Loving the playfulness of the moment, I ask her, “So bossy! Are you usually this stubborn?”

 

“No,” she answers, shaking her head. “Only when you’re concerned.”

 

Those words, spoken by my beautiful girl makes me give in. Of course they do. “Alright, beautiful. What’s the plan then?”

 

She winks at me and kisses me softly once more before standing up. “For now, the plan is for you to come and pick me up from my place at seven tonight.”

_Wait. Did she just say ...?_

 

She must notice the dumbfounded expression on my face as if I’ve been hit by a lightning bolt because she smiles at me. And her smile says it all.

_She trusts me. She thinks I’m someone worth giving a chance. And maybe there’s a future for us after all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So ... thoughts? PLPB is turning out to be quite the charmer, isn’t he?
> 
> Share your thoughts with me, and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	40. Chapter-40: Career

** Chapter-40: Career **

**Word Prompt:** Career

**Scenario:** Just when you didn't think it could get any worse...

Complete the scenario in any way, in any style, and for any word count. Open your mind and follow where it leads, writing as you go.

****

****

** ~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~ **

“Ready for the biggest case of your careers?” Eleazar asks the room at large as he strides in. This morning, he doesn’t fail to look his part—he looks every bit of the Director of the Organized Crime Division wearing his suit and crisp white shirt.

“Yo, Boss! Looking sharp,” Emmett greets him with a cheeky wink.

Eleazar smiles at his silliness, and then turns to face all of us. “If you have been waiting for the opportune moment to make your mark in the FBI history, this is it,” he says seriously.

From beside me, Kora asks, “Which one is it?” Her voice, as always drips with boredom, as she wants to know which of the three big mobs in the Washington area this case is about.

“ACM Brotherhood.”

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, there’s visible change in everyone’s postures. Alice stops trying to bite off papers and spitting them out so that they hit Em on the back of his head. Em rests his phone on the desk and looks at Eleazer. Hell, even Stoner Mike stops snoozing away and allows his eyes to remain open for one whole minute.

Satisfied with the reaction his sudden announcement garners, Eleazar flicks a switch to turn on the big-ass projector screen behind him, and we get our first look at the leader of the mob, Aro.

Motioning to the screen with his hand, Eleazar continues. “This is Aro. He’s the leader of the ACM Brotherhood. The first thing you need to know about this man is that he’s very selective of who he allows in his gang. That’s why they call it brotherhood.”

My inner-dork raises its head as I recall reading about this guy while I was still in Narcotics. “They require each entrant to willingly take a blood oath before allowing him in their actual circles. That’s why they call themselves brothers,” I explain for the benefit of others. “From the moment the oath is taken, he’s accepted as one of their own blood brothers.”

For a moment, I enjoy the look of awe mixed with disgust on peoples’ faces as my words of wisdom register on their minds. And then Emmett opens his pie-hole.

“Dude looks like a parchment or a roll of paper,” he remarks loudly. Tilting his head to the side, he looks at the picture of the ashen-faced man and says, “Or maybe a piece of paper. I think his face look too much like a rat’s to be a full roll of paper.”

From the corner of my eyes, I see Eleazar shake his head at Em’s antics, and I silently thank my lucky stars that Alice was keeping quiet for a change and not joining in with him on this ridiculous face-guessing game.

However, my lucky stars mustn’t have been all that lucky after all. Because just when I think that it can’t get any worse, it does … because Alice Brandon has to get her two cents in.

“He kinda looks constipated to me,” she says thoughtfully. “Oooh! I’ve got it.” The excitement is very distinguishable in her voice, and I’m ready to cringe at whatever the fuck she’s going to spew out of her mouth.

And then she giggles before pointing at the picture. “He looks like a roll of toilet paper, Em!” she exclaims and grins at Emmett. “His skin is pasty white, and he looks like he’s got poop stuck in his asshole.”

Em, ever the obnoxious one, lets out a whoop of agreement and gives her an air-high-five from across the table. “Good one, Brandon.”

That’s when I can’t control myself anymore. I let out a loud snort followed by a full on laughter.

__

_ Hey! You can’t blame a girl for laughing at a good joke! _

Apparently, I say those words out loud because Eleazar rolls his eyes and says, “All right, Comedy Circus, we’ve got work to do. I need every bit of dirt you can get on the toilet paper by the end of tomorrow. Any questions?”

We all shake our heads and prepare to get out of the conference room when Mike opens his hazy eyes and says, “I’ve got a question.”

“What is it, Agent Newton?”

“Does anyone know what happened to the toilet paper in the second floor bathroom? I couldn’t find any this morning.”

What do you answer to that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: What do you think? Mike is the real comedian, isn’t he? ;)
> 
> Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you in a few hours.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	41. Chapter-41: Drop, Crop, Prop

** Chapter-41: Drop, Crop, Prop **

**Word Prompts:**  Drop, crop, prop

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

“I don’t know what to do with those two,” she says, recounting her cousin and her best friend’s antics while running her hand through my hair, possibly making it look more unruly.

 

I feel a silly smile stretch across my face at the feeling. “Just keep on doing that, beautiful.”

 

She giggles, tugging on my hair a little before trying to move away from me. I don’t let her move away though. I quickly wind my arms around her waist to keep her in place and then drop my head back on her lap. “No moving my pillow.”

 

I can detect the smile in her voice as she asks, “So I’m your pillow now?”

 

“No, you’re so much more, Bella,” I reply, silently adding that she’s becoming everything to me.

 

The sound of a soft sigh escapes her ... a happy sigh. I see her look up at the night sky and smile. “This is amazing, isn’t it?”

 

I glance up at the starry night sky stretching above us like a blanket dotted with light as we lie in the open field. I still can’t believe that she planned a picnic for our date. But then again, my Bella is anything but predictable.

 

Here, like this, it feels like we’re the only ones in the world.

 

“How did you find this place?” I ask her.

 

“I was out here to go hiking with my dad when I was a teenager. I got lost and ended up here. The beauty of this place made me forget about the fear and helped me think with a clear head. This has been my happy place since then.”

 

“Just yours?” I need to clarify.

 

She hums in assent. “I never shared this place with anyone before tonight. Sharing it with anyone else felt like cutting off some of the beauty of this place,” she tells me, waving her hands as she tries to explain herself. “You know, like cropping a beautiful picture and adding a high-rise in the middle of it?”

 

“You brought me here for our date tonight though,” I can’t help but point out.

 

She nods and leans down to brush a kiss on my head. “It’s different with you.”

 

“How?”

 

“Because, I trust you.” Those words, spoken by this amazingly beautiful woman, makes my heart soar.

 

I prop myself up on one arm and meet her gaze. “Thank you, baby,” I say to her, making a faint blush rise to her cheeks. “This is beautiful. _You_ ’re beautiful.”

 

Her blush brightens, and I feel the heat of her skin reach mine—sending waves of warmth through me.

 

She smiles down at me. “You make me feel beautiful,” she says before kissing my jaw.

 

Tightening my arms around her, I pull her to me and then bring our lips together. It feels like a spark’s been ignited, and our lips meet again and again.

 

It’s heaven and hell all rolled into one.

 

She grazes my lips with her teeth, pulling it into her mouth and sucking softly. _Fuck! How can she be so sexy?_

 

I let my hands slide down her sides, needing to hold her closer to me. As my thumbs pass the sides of her breasts, Bella lets out a soft moan, making my dick harder.

 

“Shit!” She whimpers in my ear as I hold her against me, allowing the both of us to feel each other for a moment ... only a moment before I pull her face to mine for one last kiss and then carefully set her down on the ground next to me.

 

For a long moment, we’re both quiet, trying to control our breathings. When she doesn’t say anything, I turn on my side to face her.

 

Her big chocolate brown eyes look back at me.

 

“Bella, baby, I’m sorry, but …”

 

She stops my apology by putting a finger on my lips. “I know. I want you too, Edward. I can’t deny it anymore,” she says quietly. “But I know our first time’s gonna be fiery with passion and I think we should wait till we’re in closer proximity to a fire safety kit.”

 

Her words make me laugh, and then, I wrap my arms around my beautiful girl.

 

Holding her, being with her is enough … for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


	42. Chapter-42: Transfer

** Chapter-42: Transfer **

**Word Prompt:** Transfer

 **Plot Generator—Phrase Catch:** Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

 

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

 

 

 

I grab a paper cup and top it off with the watery shit the FBI call coffee from the machine as Alice keeps chatting my ears off.

 

“So he’s just got transferred from Texas,” she says, dunking four sugar cubes in her coffee. “Did you know there was a Texas branch of the Times? Of course they’re called Daily Times back there.”

 

Rolling my eyes at her ever present exuberance, I reply, “No, I didn’t know about that, but I do know something.”

 

“What’s that?”

 

She looks eager for the info I’m about dish out, and I feel bad for doing this … for maybe a fragment of a nanosecond. But hey! I had to sit through her and Emmett’s bickering about toilet papers so she sort of has this coming.

 

With a face that can rival Dalai Lama’s when he’s about to preach his most cherished piece of knowledge, I say, “I know that what you’re drinking isn’t coffee. Whatever the fuck it is, it cannot be coffee. Or maybe it’s coffee for potheads.”

 

Her mouth remains open for a long moment as she just stares at me, and then she gives me the patented Alice Brandon death glare. “ _That’s_ what you have to say?”

 

“What?” I bat my eyelashes at her, feigning innocence. “I read it in a paper about potheads that they tend to take more sugar because the pot desensitizes their taste buds.”

 

“Whatever, Swan! You’re such a bitch!”

 

I let go of my façade and throw an arm around her shoulders. “You love me, admit it, Brandon—bitchiness and all.”

 

Her face is expressionless as she contradicts me. “You’re wrong.” And then she’s grinning from ear to ear. “I love the Bitchy Bell more.”

 

Laughing, I bump my shoulder with hers. “Did you ask the Tampon-Blocking-Straw-Hat out?”

 

She giggles at my name calling and winks at me. “I might have done something like that.”

 

She stops to take a sip of the Pothead’s Concoction before asking me, “So how’d it go with Pretty Boy last night?”

 

I lean against the counter beside her, taking a sip of my coffee, and then answer her. “It was good. We’re good.” I feel a smile taking over my face as I remember the mini makeout session Edward and I had enjoyed the night before.

 

“He’s treating you right?”

 

Alice’s question brings me away from the memories of my handsome man and I turn my head to face her. “He makes me feel beautiful, Al. He’s so much … _more_ ,” I say, not finding the right word to describe how much he has come to mean to me in less than a month.

 

She returns my smile and says back, “You know what they say, Swan.” When I raise an eyebrow at her in question, she continues. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And he _is_ a Pretty Boy.”

 

“Oh you’re talking about little ol’ me? You shouldn’t, ladies. I’m sexy and I know it.” Emmett’s obnoxiously loud voice interrupts our girl-talk and before I can deflect, Alice says, “Who’s talking about you, TP-man?”

 

There’s a look of pure glee on Em’s face as he laughs. “That’s right, Brandon. How did you guess it?”

 

It only takes me a moment before I catch on. “Wait! You? _You_ emptied the second floor bathroom?”

 

Alice answers both of our questions when she says, “Of course it was him, Bella. Didn’t you see how he was practically glowing with satisfaction when Mike mentioned it?” Turning to Emmett, she asks, “Why the toilet paper though? There’s so many ways to mess with Mike. I mean you can just ask him to tie his shoelaces and he’ll be lost.”

 

He pulls a face and replies, “That ass fell asleep while peeing a few days back and do you wanna know what happened? That fucker peed on the fucking toilet paper. Or better yet, he brush-fired pee on the damn toilet papers.”

 

“Gross!” Alice and I both exclaim at the same time.

 

A mischievous smile takes over his face as he says, “I had help with Mission De-TP Newton though.”

 

“Who?”

 

With a proud smile, he answers me. “Eleazar.”

 

Alice and I both break into giggle-snorts at this point. Emmett waits for us to calm down before saying seriously, “Now that I’ve shared my secret with you two, spill.”

 

“Ugh! I swear you’d made the meanest Gossip Girl,” Alice whines a little before looking at me.

_What the hell,_ I think and then say with a shrug, “We were talking about boys when you walked in.”

 

Instead of pretending to gag, like I expected him to, Em nods. “I heard something _pretty_ has caught your eyes, sis. So I think it’s time I meet him.”

 

I open my mouth to protest, but he shuts me up with logic for once. “Better me than Uncle Charlie, kiddo.”

 

That, I cannot deny. So I nod and say, “Fine. But I get to meet your new girl too, big brother. No more hiding her.”

 

“No more hiding,” he agrees with me and turns to leave—only to stop in midstride. He turns and looks at Alice before saying, “That means you too, young lady. Bring your Straw Hat over to meet the TP-man.”

 

“How the fuck does he know about that?”

 

I don’t try to even answer Alice’s question as I try to imagine my Pretty Boy in the same room with the Tampon-Blocker and TP-man.

_Gods in heaven, help us!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: That solves the TP mystery.
> 
> So thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Since tomorrow is Monday, I’ll see you on Tuesday.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So … thoughts?
> 
> Share them with me and leave a review.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> See you tomorrow.
> 
> Take care.
> 
> Ann


End file.
